Trilateral security talks set for UAE amid diplomatic push
US, Ukrainian and Russian officials are scheduled to hold trilateral security talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, marking the first three‑way meeting on the Ukraine war since 2022.
The announcement came after high‑level meetings this week, including extended talks in Moscow between a US delegation and Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the planned talks in Abu Dhabi.
Details of meetings and leadership statements
President Zelenskyy, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said the trilateral talks will take place Friday and Saturday in the UAE and described them as the first such gathering in that format. He said US representatives traveled first to Moscow before heading to Abu Dhabi, with his team following to meet US officials.
Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov said the first meeting of a trilateral working group on security issues will take place in Abu Dhabi and that representatives from Russia, the United States and Ukraine are expected to participate. General Igor Kostyukov, director of Russia’s military intelligence (GRU), is expected to lead the Russian delegation.
US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, a senior US adviser, were part of the delegation that held extended discussions with President Putin in Moscow ahead of the UAE talks. Ruhakov described those talks as “useful in every respect” and agreed on the security working group meeting.
Background of conflict and diplomatic context
The talks come amid continued efforts to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, as diplomatic activity has increased in recent months. Ukraine has resisted territorial concessions, while Russia continues to occupy about 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, including the eastern Donbas region.
Zelenskyy said the meetings in Abu Dhabi represent a step toward dialogue, though he emphasised that all sides must be ready for compromises. He noted after his Davos address that Russia must also be prepared to make concessions for progress.
Details of whether Ukrainian and Russian officials will negotiate directly have not been released, and the agenda beyond security working groups remains unclear.
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