Russian, Ukrainian and US officials are set to meet in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, marking the first talks involving all three sides since Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
The meeting in Abu Dhabi follows closed door discussions in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior US envoys, which the Kremlin described as productive while warning that a lasting peace deal remains out of reach without agreement on territory.
The Kremlin confirmed on Thursday that Russia would take part in the UAE talks after Putin met three US representatives, including Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US president’s son in law.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the Moscow discussions were frank and substantive, but stressed that Russia’s position on land remains unchanged.
“Without resolving the territorial issue according to the formula agreed upon in Anchorage, there is no hope of achieving a long term settlement,” Ushakov said, referring to last year’s summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska.
He added that Putin told US envoys Russia was “sincerely interested” in a diplomatic solution, while insisting Moscow would continue pursuing its military objectives until its conditions are met.
Russia’s delegation in Abu Dhabi will be led by General Igor Kostyukov, head of the GRU military intelligence agency. Investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to meet Witkoff separately to discuss economic matters, according to Russian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv would be represented by some of its most senior officials, underscoring the seriousness of the talks.
The delegation includes Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, presidential negotiator David Arakhamia and armed forces chief of staff Andrii Hnatov.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said territorial issues remained the core obstacle.
“It’s all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet,” he told reporters, adding that “the Russians have to be ready for compromises, not only Ukraine”.
One of Moscow’s key demands is that Ukraine relinquish control of the remaining quarter of the Donetsk region still held by Kyiv. Zelensky has said Ukraine’s position on Donbas differs sharply from Russia’s.
Kyiv has proposed mutual troop withdrawals of up to 40 kilometers from parts of eastern Ukraine to create a demilitarised economic zone, provided Russia does the same.
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US officials have floated a similar plan for Donbas that would pair a free economic zone with security guarantees for Ukraine.
Witkoff said last year that Russia had signaled openness to allowing the US and Europe to provide strong security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a broader settlement.
Zelensky told reporters in Davos that he had reached a preliminary understanding with Trump on future US security guarantees, though he said any agreement would require approval from both the US Congress and the Ukrainian parliament.
The Ukrainian leader had initially cancelled his Davos trip after Russian strikes damaged power infrastructure in Kyiv, leaving large areas of the capital without heat, water or electricity during one of the harshest winters since the war began.
Another unresolved issue is control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, seized by Russian forces in March 2022 and Europe’s largest nuclear facility.