- Zelenskyy confirmed that the Abu Dhabi meetings would feature both bilateral and trilateral engagements
- Witkoff said the outstanding concern was complex but solvable
- The planned talks, scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi
Fresh diplomatic moves aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine are set to unfold this weekend, as officials from Ukraine, Russia and the United States prepare for their first-ever trilateral talks.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the development after separate engagements with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
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According to Zelenskyy, discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine have been concluded, while negotiations on post-war economic recovery are nearing completion.
The planned talks, scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi, are expected to bring together representatives of the three countries in what Zelenskyy described as a significant diplomatic step.
He noted that the meeting would mark the first time officials from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington sit together under a trilateral framework.
While Ukraine and the US have publicly acknowledged the proposed engagement, there was no immediate reaction from Russian authorities on the planned discussions.
President Trump, speaking after he met with Zelenskyy, described the engagement as productive, stressing that efforts to end the conflict remain ongoing. He reiterated his position that the war, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, must come to an end.
Earlier, US envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that negotiations between the parties had made substantial progress, with only one unresolved issue remaining.
Addressing participants at the World Economic Forum, Witkoff said the outstanding concern was complex but solvable, adding that both sides appeared willing to reach a resolution.
Witkoff, alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, later travelled to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, before proceeding to Abu Dhabi to continue talks through military-to-military working groups.
Zelenskyy confirmed that the Abu Dhabi meetings would feature both bilateral and trilateral engagements over the two days. He also described his meeting with Trump as substantive, noting that key documents related to security guarantees and reconstruction funding had been further refined.
Addressing global leaders at the forum, Zelenskyy renewed calls for accountability over the war, criticising European countries for failing to deploy frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defence and recovery efforts.
Despite optimism surrounding the talks, unresolved issues remain, including the future of territories currently occupied by Russian forces and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed ongoing peace efforts but cautioned that Ukraine would continue to require military assistance as Russian missile and drone attacks persist. He warned against premature expectations, stressing that a final agreement would take time.
The diplomatic push comes amid renewed Russian attacks that have left large parts of Kyiv without electricity and heating during freezing conditions. In Odesa, local authorities confirmed that a drone strike on a residential building claimed the life of a 17-year-old.
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