Ukraine, Russia and US Hold First Trilateral Talks Since War Began

The first trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 concluded in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with all sides striking an optimistic tone and agreeing to continue negotiations next week.
US officials described the two-day UAE-hosted meeting as having “surpassed expectations,” saying the atmosphere was “very upbeat, very positive and very constructive.” One senior official said the talks marked a significant step forward after months of quiet diplomacy, stressing that progress would not have been possible without face-to-face engagement.
“Getting to this place was a really big step,” the official said, adding that the parties were probing each other’s positions and working creatively toward possible solutions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement that “a lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive.” He added that the central focus of the talks was defining possible parameters for ending the war and the security conditions required to achieve them.
“All sides agreed to report back in their capitals on each aspect of the negotiations and to coordinate further steps with their leaders,” Zelensky said, noting that further meetings could take place as early as next week if there is readiness to move forward.
US officials echoed that assessment but acknowledged that major issues remain unresolved, particularly over territory. “De-escalation is important. Yes, territory is important as well, but we’ve eliminated lots of things the parties couldn’t agree on before,” one US official said, referring to earlier failed talks in Geneva. “It’s important for us to keep up the momentum.”
The next round of talks is scheduled to begin on February 1 in Abu Dhabi, according to US officials.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS that Moscow wants to develop a plan that “fully corresponds to the fundamental understandings” reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump during their summit in Alaska last year. TASS reported that the parties discussed buffer zones and control mechanisms, though the territorial issue remains difficult.
The UAE government said the talks were held in a “positive and constructive atmosphere,” with Ukrainian and Russian representatives engaging directly on elements of a US-proposed peace framework.
Russia sent a military delegation that included a top intelligence official, while Ukraine was represented by senior diplomats and security officials. The US delegation included Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum.
Witkoff and Kushner had earlier met with Putin in Russia for about four hours, with discussions covering security, frozen assets, territory and de-escalation, according to US officials.
Despite the diplomatic progress, Russia launched its largest overnight aerial attack on Ukraine this year just hours after the first day of talks ended. Missile and drone strikes targeted Kyiv and other cities, killing at least one person and wounding dozens. More than 800,000 people in the capital were left without power amid freezing temperatures.
Ukrainian officials said more than 370 drones and 21 missiles were launched, with strikes focusing on critical energy infrastructure.
Territory remains the key sticking point, with the Kremlin insisting that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region — a demand Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
Russia currently occupies around 20% of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, including most of Luhansk and parts of Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.