Trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia ended in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with U.S. officials describing “substantial progress” and saying the sides agreed to meet again on February 1. Ukraine’s negotiating team also confirmed the meeting had ended, after Russian state news agencies reported the Russian delegation returned to its hotel.
U.S. officials told reporters the two-day Abu Dhabi discussions were part of a framework aimed at moving the sides toward a ceasefire, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks focused on possible parameters for ending the war and called the conversations constructive.
U.S. says “historic” progress, more talks ahead
U.S. officials said the Abu Dhabi meetings produced “substantial progress” between Russia and Ukraine and described the talks as “historic.” One U.S. official said the talks were “a critical step towards getting to the next stage,” adding that progress was being made and that different ways to de-escalate were discussed.
According to the U.S. side, the delegations agreed to meet again on February 1. The talks in Abu Dhabi concluded a day after the heads of delegations, including U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in the UAE capital on Friday.
Ukraine confirms talks ended
A spokeswoman for Rustem Umerov, identified as Ukraine’s top negotiator, told journalists the second round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi had ended on Saturday. When asked whether the meeting had finished, the spokeswoman, Diana Davitian, responded “Yes,” according to the report.
The same report said Russian state news agencies had reported that the Russian delegation returned to its hotel.
What happened inside the meetings
U.S. officials said the discussions covered several aspects of a framework intended to move the sides toward a ceasefire. They also said that while military and “prosperity” negotiations were conducted between the respective sides in different rooms, all participants came together for lunch on Saturday.
One U.S. official said the entire group had lunch together and that four Russian generals were in the room, including the head of military intelligence, adding that the mood “surpassed our expectations.” A White House official told The National late on Friday that “There has been a lot of positivity from both the Ukrainian and Russian sides,” while another U.S. official said interactions were respectful and the conversations were fluid.
A UAE government representative said the “unprecedented trilateral discussions” took place as part of ongoing efforts to advance a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. The representative said the discussions included direct engagement between Russian and Ukrainian representatives on outstanding elements of the peace framework proposed by the United States, as well as confidence-building measures aimed at supporting progress toward a comprehensive agreement.
UAE hosting role and official reactions
The National reported that the delegations were received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and held a first round of discussions after arriving on Friday. Sheikh Mohamed said he hoped the meeting would contribute to ending the conflict, which began in February 2022, and he stressed the UAE’s consistent approach of promoting constructive dialogue and supporting diplomatic solutions to crises and conflicts worldwide, according to the UAE state news agency Wam as cited in the report.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, wrote on X that the humanitarian and political role played by the UAE in seeking a solution to the war in Ukraine enjoys clear international appreciation. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the summit and said he hoped it would provide “tangible steps” toward bringing the war to an end, Wam reported, according to The National.
A UAE government representative said the UAE commended the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump in facilitating the talks, reinforcing stability, and advancing the political track toward peace. The same statement said the UAE’s hosting reflects a consistent approach focused on dialogue and de-escalation and pointed to the UAE’s prior role in hosting multiple rounds of Russia-Ukraine negotiations that resulted in approximately 17 successful prisoner-of-war exchange operations.
The National also reported that the UAE has mediated 17 prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine since the war began, resulting in the release of 4,641 detainees. The report added that, in initial reactions to the Abu Dhabi meeting, both the Russian Foreign Ministry and Zelenskyy were receptive to further talks.
Territory remains a central issue
Zelenskyy said on Friday that it was too early to draw conclusions on the first day of talks and that the territorial dispute was a central issue in the UAE discussions. The National reported that Russia has maintained its demand for Ukraine to give up its entire eastern area of Donbas.
The report also said a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday, after talks between Putin and U.S. envoys, that there was no hope of ending the war until disagreements over territory are resolved.
