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The US, Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss one of the key sticking points blocking a deal to end the nearly four-year war: territorial disputes. The talks in Abu Dhabi are the first trilateral talks after 2022.
The trilateral meeting follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with Trump in Davos and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Witkoff and Kushner traveled to the UAE for talks after meeting Putin in Moscow on Thursday.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, met with the heads of delegations participating in the trilateral talks hosted by the UAE involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine on January 23, 2026. (Hamad Al Kaabi/UAE Presidential Court/Handout via Reuters)
Pressure is mounting on Zelensky and Putin to reach a peace deal as the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s invasion approaches and President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the war.
While Russia has demanded Ukraine hand over Donbass, Zelensky has been steadfast in his opposition to making land concessions, although discussions in Abu Dhabi suggest he may be open to negotiations. According to Reuters, Putin is demanding Ukraine hand over 20% of the Donetsk region of Donbass.
The US, Ukraine and Russia are holding the first trilateral meeting in years. (Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofiev/Pool via Reuters; Denis Balibous/Reuters; Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Ukraine ambassador says peace talks ‘going in the right direction’, trilateral talks planned in UAE
According to Reuters, Zelensky told reporters via WhatsApp, “The question of Donbass is important. It will be discussed how the three sides … will approach it today and tomorrow in Abu Dhabi.” The outlet said an aide to Zelensky said talks were expected to continue on Saturday.
The envoys are meeting as Ukrainians face sub-zero temperatures after Russian attacks damaged the country’s power supply.
Maxim Timchenko, the head of Ukraine’s top private power producer, told Reuters the situation was close to a “humanitarian disaster”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have both met separately with President Donald Trump. Despite getting closer to a peace agreement, territorial disputes remain, Zelensky said. (Julia Demari Nikhinson/AP; Christian Bruna/Getty)
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Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump was asked if a trilateral meeting could lead to talks with him, Putin and Zelensky. He made no commitment but said that “whenever we meet, it’s good.” He also expressed doubt whether Putin wants to take over the whole of Ukraine.
Trump said, “What’s happened here is, there were times when Putin didn’t want to make a deal, there were times when Zelensky didn’t want to make a deal, and this was the opposite time. Now, I think they both want to make a deal. We’ll find out.”
The President also admitted that the topics under discussion had been debated for months.
