Trilateral talks talks were constructive, may continue next week: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that two days of trilateral talks 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 that officials from the Trump administration have sat down with both countries as part of Washington's push for progress to end Moscow's nearly 4-year-old invasion.

"All parties agreed to report to their capitals on each aspect of the negotiations and to coordinate further steps with their leaders," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. He said that military representatives identified issues for a possible next meeting, which could take place as soon 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."  US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated alongside Ukrainian officials, including chief negotiator Rustem Umerov and military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov. Russia sent military intelligence and army representatives, according to Zelenskyy.

The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Ministry earlier said the talks are part of efforts "to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis."  While Zelenskyy said in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday that a potential peace deal was "nearly ready," certain sensitive sticking points - most notably those related to territorial issues - remain unresolved.

Just hours before the three-way talks began on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a Ukraine settlement with Witkoff and Kushner during marathon overnight talks. The Kremlin insists that to reach a peace deal, Kyiv must withdraw its troops from the areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed but has not fully captured.

The second day of talks came as Russian drone attacks killed one person and wounded four in the capital, Kyiv, according to Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko. In Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, drone attacks wounded 27 people, Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Saturday.

"Cynically, Putin ordered a brutal massive missile strike against Ukraine right while delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the America-led peace process," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. "His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.