Ukraine, Russia, and US Meet for First Trilateral Talks
23rd Jan. 2026
Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are set to hold a historic three-way meeting in Abu Dhabi on Friday. It will mark the first occasion for the three nations where they sit down together since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The summit comes after talks in Moscow that involved Russian President Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and White House adviser Jared Kushner.
Meanwhile, Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov has described the preliminary discussions as “useful in every respect”. He also confirmed that the inaugural meeting of a trilateral working group on security issues will take place in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, details about whether the Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet face to face are still unclear. In these historic talks, Zelenskyy said that the talks are expected to last two days.
The US delegation, which is led by Witkoff and Kushner, will meet a Russian team that is headed by General Igor Kostyukov, the director of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency. The Trump administration has been actively pushing for a peace settlement, with envoys shuttling between Kyiv and Moscow. However, some analysts showed their fear that this approach could pressure Ukraine into a compromise that only favors Russia.
Key Issues in the Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Witkoff indicated that one major issue remained unresolved in the talks, however he did not specify what it was. Zelenskyy later confirmed that the future status of land currently occupied by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine remains unsettled. Though he suggested that peace proposals were “nearly ready.”
The territorial dispute will be the central topic in the negotiations. Putin has demanded that Ukraine should surrender control of approximately 20% of the eastern Donetsk region, which Kyiv has defended through sustained and costly attritional warfare. Meanwhile, Russia also insists that Ukraine renounce its aspiration to join NATO and bar any NATO troops from its soil in the event of a peace deal.
Zelenskyy stressed that compromises must be mutual, he said “Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine, and this is important for us.” He also highlighted that postwar security guarantees between Washington and Kyiv are prepared but would require ratification by both nations if a deal is reached.
Zelenskyy Criticizes European leaders on Talks
In Davos, Zelenskyy sharply criticized European leaders and accused them of being only in the “Greenland mode”. He is waiting for leadership from the Trump administration instead of acting decisively. “Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words Europe needs to know how to defend itself”, Zelenskyy said. “A year has passed, and nothing has changed”.
Following a closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump described their discussions as productive. He noted that both leaders are committed to reaching a deal. However, he acknowledged that progress has been slow. “The main hold-up is the same things that’ve been holding it up for the last year,” Trump said, emphasizing that boundary disputes remain a key sticking point.
He also discussed Ukraine’s severe winter hardships, stating, “It’s really tough for the people of Ukraine”. He praised the resilience of the citizens amid ongoing Russian strikes on power and heating infrastructure.
Web Resources on Trilateral Talks of Ukraine, Russia, and US
1. CNN.com: US, Ukraine and Russia set for first trilateral talks of the war
2. BBC.com: Ukraine, Russia and US to hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
3. ABCNews.com: US, Russia and Ukraine to hold trilateral talks in UAE, Zelenskyy says
4. AlJazeera.com: Ukraine, Russia, US to meet for ‘first trilateral’ talks to end war
5. AcademicBlock.com: Moscow Talks End Without Progress on Ukraine Peace Deal