Zelenskyy hails Abu Dhabi talks as 'constructive and substantive'

Security guarantees and de-escalation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday described trilateral talks between Kyiv, Moscow and Washington in Abu Dhabi as "constructive and quite substantive," noting that participants examined detailed arrangements to ensure long-term security guarantees for Ukraine. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said the discussions addressed mechanisms to prevent future conflict, stating that "Real tools are needed to block any recurrence of the war. The need for de-escalation steps was also touched upon."

Humanitarian measures and future dialogue

Zelenskyy said the sides also addressed humanitarian initiatives, emphasizing that prisoner releases remained a "priority" for the Ukrainian delegation. He said he had given his delegation clear instructions for further dialogue, both in Wednesday's trilateral session and in broader talks involving US President Donald Trump's envoys and European representatives, adding that "The main thing is to truly bring peace closer. And on Ukraine’s part, there will be only productive, high-quality, and honest work."

Delegation makeup and context

Zelenskyy thanked the United States for organizing the negotiations and the United Arab Emirates for hosting the four-and-a-half-hour session, which began at 0815GMT. Russian presidential envoy Vladimir Medinsky led Moscow's delegation, while Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, headed Kyiv's team, according to media reports.

The Abu Dhabi meeting marked the first trilateral negotiation since Geneva in February, following two earlier rounds hosted in the Emirati capital during January and February.