The nations wrapped up their inaugural trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Saturday
Steve Witkoff, the chief negotiator for US President Donald Trump, commended the initial Russia-US-Ukraine discussions in Abu Dhabi, stating the parties had agreed to reconvene for talks next week.
The two-day meeting in the Emirati capital, ending Saturday, represented the first occasion since the conflict between Moscow and Kiev began in February 2022 that negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the US have convened together. Details on the results of the talks have been largely withheld by the participants.
In a Saturday post on X, Witkoff, who headed the American delegation with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, described the discussions as “very constructive” and noted arrangements were set to continue them next week in Abu Dhabi. He also stated that Trump is dedicated to securing a peace agreement.
The Abu Dhabi negotiations occurred soon after Witkoff and Kushner held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, and Trump conversed with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
All three sides have recognized that disagreements over territory continue to be the primary barrier to a peace agreement. Moscow insists that a lasting settlement can only happen if Ukraine pulls its military forces from the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions—which chose to become part of Russia in 2022—and officially acknowledges Russia’s new borders, including Crimea. Zelensky has rejected making any territorial compromises.
Yury Ushakov, a senior aide to Putin who was present at the Abu Dhabi talks, informed reporters beforehand that Russia holds the initiative on the battlefield and will pursue its goals through military means unless a diplomatic resolution is reached.