Donbas takes center stage as US brokers critical trilateral Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that resolving the status of the eastern Donbas region will be the central and defining agenda item during an unprecedented round of trilateral talks. Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for discussions spanning Friday and Saturday, marking a significant step in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

A New Diplomatic Format Emerges

The meetings represent the first time the three parties will engage in a trilateral format at the technical level, following a series of bilateral discussions. The initiative was set in motion after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior advisor Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. "The American team will go... and my team will meet the American team. And I think it will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates," Zelenskyy explained during a session at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Diverging Positions on a Final Settlement

While U.S. envoy Witkoff cited "a lot of progress" and suggested negotiations were down to one final issue, fundamental disagreements persist. Following the Moscow talks, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov reiterated the Kremlin's firm stance that no long-term settlement is possible without resolving territorial issues based on a formula agreed upon during last year's Trump-Putin summit in Alaska—a position Kyiv has consistently rejected. The Russian security delegation to Abu Dhabi will be led by a senior military intelligence general, indicating the talks will heavily focus on security arrangements.