US Joins Moscow And Kyiv In First Trilateral Talks Of Ukraine War: Top Updates

Ukrainian, Russian and US envoys held talks in Abu Dhabi on Friday, marking the first known instance in which officials from the Donald Trump administration have sat down with representatives from both sides as part of Washington’s push to advance efforts to end Russia’s nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine.

The meeting comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in recent days, stretching from Davos to the Kremlin, even as major obstacles, particularly over territorial control, continue to block a breakthrough.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Davos on Thursday that a potential peace deal was “nearly ready,” though he acknowledged that some of the most sensitive issues remain unresolved. Chief among them is territory, especially

control over eastern Ukraine.

According to officials speaking to Reuters, the Abu Dhabi talks represent a significant step, as US envoys are participating alongside delegations from both Ukraine and Russia. While Kyiv and Moscow have held talks separately in the past, this is believed to be the first time Washington has joined such a format directly.

The talks follow a private, hour-long meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Thursday. Zelenskyy later described the discussion as “productive and meaningful,” while Trump said both Russia and Ukraine were “making concessions” in an effort to end the war.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin held overnight talks at the Kremlin with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, discussions that reportedly lasted nearly four hours.

A spokesperson for Zelenskyy said the negotiations are taking place in multiple formats, with participants breaking into different groups depending on the subject. “Sometimes everyone meets together, sometimes there are parallel discussions, and sometimes separate groups focus on specific topics,” the spokesperson said.

The US delegation includes Witkoff and Kushner. Ukraine is represented by Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council; Andrii Hnatov, chief of the General Staff; and Kyrylo Budanov.

Russia’s delegation is led by Igor Kostyukov, according to Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The Kremlin said other members are from the Defence Ministry, while Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev is also attending.

The talks are expected to conclude on Saturday.

Few details have emerged about the agenda. Zelenskyy has said territorial concessions are likely to be discussed, while the Kremlin has described the talks only as a “working group on security issues.” Separate economic discussions are expected between Witkoff and Dmitriev, Russian officials said.

The territorial question remains the central sticking point. Speaking to journalists in a WhatsApp chat on Friday, Zelenskyy described control over the Donbas as “key” to any agreement.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, following its full-scale invasion in 2022 and earlier hostilities dating back to 2014. While Moscow has made gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, the advances have come at a high military and economic cost amid Western sanctions.

Ushakov said a lasting settlement would be impossible without resolving the territorial issue, reiterating Moscow’s demand that Ukraine withdraw its forces from parts of eastern Ukraine that Russia illegally annexed in 2022 but never fully captured. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the position, saying Russia’s stance remained unchanged.

Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to press Western allies for long-term security guarantees to prevent any future Russian invasion, officials said.