Zelenskyy Hails ‘Constructive’ US, Russia, Ukraine Talks in Abu Dhabi
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described recent trilateral talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi as “constructive,” saying the meetings opened a rare diplomatic channel focused on possible frameworks for ending the war.
The two-day discussions, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, brought together political and military representatives from all three countries. According to Zelenskyy, the talks addressed key security concerns, including the need for US monitoring and oversight mechanisms.
“A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. He added that further meetings could take place as early as next week, noting that all delegations agreed to brief their respective governments and coordinate next steps with their leaders.
The Abu Dhabi meetings followed high-level talks in Moscow on Thursday involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Josh Gruenbaum, head of the Federal Acquisition Service.
Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the Moscow discussions were “extremely frank” and lasted about four hours, with US officials updating Russian leaders on recent engagements with Ukrainian and European counterparts. He noted that any lasting settlement would require addressing territorial issues, particularly within the framework previously discussed in Anchorage.
Territorial disputes remain one of the biggest obstacles to a peace agreement, with Moscow pressing Kyiv to cede parts of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, including areas not fully controlled by Russian forces.
The diplomatic efforts come amid continued Russian strikes across Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure, critical facilities and residential areas. Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched more than 1,700 attack drones, 1,380 guided aerial bombs and 69 missiles in the past week alone.
Meanwhile, the European Commission announced the deployment of 447 emergency generators to support hospitals, shelters and essential services, as over one million Ukrainians face power outages during freezing winter conditions.
“The EU will not let Russia freeze Ukraine into submission and will continue helping Ukrainians get through this winter,” the commission said.
Despite the ongoing violence, the Abu Dhabi talks have raised cautious hopes for renewed diplomatic engagement, with all sides indicating willingness to continue dialogue in pursuit of a broader settlement.
