Tripartite Talks Planned to End Ukraine War

In an effort to bring an end to the four-year-long war in Ukraine, high-level officials from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are set to hold tripartite talks on Friday. According to CNN, the meeting will take place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Ahead of the scheduled talks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Following a three-hour-long meeting at the Kremlin, Russia confirmed that a tripartite dialogue would be held in Abu Dhabi, said Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

The Russian delegation for the Abu Dhabi talks will be led by Admiral Olegovich Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). Ushakov stated that President Putin had instructed Russian officials to participate in the talks based on the discussions held with U.S. representatives in Moscow. However, details of those discussions have not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also held talks, during which both leaders emphasized the need to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Abu Dhabi discussions are expected to last at least two days. Following the tripartite meeting, separate bilateral talks between Russian and U.S. officials are also scheduled.

The United States has proposed a 20-point peace plan to end the Ukraine war, but consensus has yet to be reached. The main point of disagreement remains territorial issues. Russia insists that the current control lines should form the basis of any agreement, while Ukraine has firmly stated that it will not cede any of its territory.

Russia claims control over the eastern Donbas region, though it does not fully occupy the area. Ukraine continues to reject Russia’s claims. In light of the stalemate, President Trump has proposed making the Donbas region a free economic zone. Russia has shown some openness to the idea, while Ukraine insists that any decision on territorial matters must be made through a national referendum.

If agreement is reached on all points, an immediate ceasefire is expected to be implemented.