Trilateral peace talks concluded constructively, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says, with more possible next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that two days of trilateral talks Negotiations with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi concluded with “constructive” discussions on “possible parameters for ending the war.”
The talks are the first known instance where Trump administration officials have spoken with both countries as part of Washington’s push for progress toward ending the Moscow conflict. invasion of almost 4 years.
“All parties agreed to report to their capitals on every aspect of the negotiations and coordinate next steps with their leaders,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. He said military representatives have identified issues for a possible next meeting, which could take place as early as next week.
The Ukrainian leader said there was “an understanding of the need for American monitoring and control of the process of ending the war and ensuring real security.”
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated alongside Ukrainian officials, including chief negotiator Rustem Umerov and military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. Russia sent representatives of military intelligence and the army, according to Zelenskyy.
The UAE Foreign Ministry earlier said the talks were part of efforts “to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis”.
While Zelensky said Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, that a possible peace deal was “almost ready,” some sensitive sticking points, including those related to territorial issues – remain unresolved.
Just hours before the three-way talks began on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a settlement on Ukraine with Witkoff and Kushner in marathon all-night negotiations. The Kremlin insists that to reach a peace deal, kyiv must withdraw its troops from eastern areas that Russia has illegally annexed but not fully captured.
The second day of negotiations took place as Russian drone attacks killed one person and injured four in the capital, kyiv, according to the head of the Kyiv city military administration, Tymur Tkachenko. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, drone attacks injured 27 people, Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday.
“Cynically, Putin ordered a massive and brutal missile strike against Ukraine even as delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the US-led peace process,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. “His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiating table.”
Meanwhile, residents of Ukraine face another cold winter as Russian bombing of power plants and transmission lines leads to electricity rationing. To avoid a grid collapse, operators are imposing rolling blackouts, keeping hospitals and essential services alive while homes go dark.
