Zelenskyy: Russia Must End War as Trilateral Talks Begin in UAE

The trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates marked the first such engagement involving all three sides since the war began nearly four years ago.

Reacting to the discussions, Zelenskyy underscored Kyiv's long-held position, stating, "Russia must end the war it started; our position is clear." He described the Abu Dhabi talks as an initial step but urged caution in drawing early conclusions.

The negotiations are being held against the backdrop of continued hostilities. Ukrainian authorities reported that Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and ballistic missile attack early Saturday, prompting air defence systems to be activated across the capital.

Officials from the United States termed the opening round of talks "productive" and said discussions were expected to continue through Saturday. Zelenskyy, however, said it was premature to assess the outcome.

In a post on X late Friday, he noted that Ukraine's delegation was briefing him hourly but warned that it was "too early to assess the substance" of the negotiations.

Reiterating his stance, Zelenskyy said, "The main thing is that Russia must be ready to end this war, which it itself started," adding that clear instructions had been given to Ukraine's negotiating team. "We will see how the conversation develops and what results it produces."

The Abu Dhabi talks follow a lengthy meeting earlier this week in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys, which the Kremlin described as "useful."

Despite renewed diplomatic engagement, major disagreements persist, particularly over territorial issues. Russia is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from areas it still controls in the Donetsk region, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

Zelenskyy has previously said that a US-backed, 20-point peace framework is close to being finalised, though the future status of the Donbas region remains unresolved. He has also proposed a reciprocal troop withdrawal of up to 40 kilometres to establish a demilitarised free economic zone, subject to similar steps by Russia, and linked to long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

Ukraine's delegation in Abu Dhabi is led by National Security and Defence Council chief Rustem Umerov, along with senior officials including Kyrylo Budanov and negotiator David Arakhamia. Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov is also part of the team.

Russia's delegation is headed by GRU director Igor Kostyukov, while investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev is holding separate economic discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff. The US delegation also includes President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov earlier described talks with US officials as "substantive and frank," while maintaining that a durable peace would require resolving territorial disputes. Until then, he said, Russia would continue what it calls its "special military operation."

Meanwhile, fighting continues on the ground, with both sides reporting overnight drone attacks in recent days. These include strikes on a Russian oil depot in the Penza region and multiple locations within Ukraine. Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have left parts of Ukraine facing winter conditions without reliable heating or electricity.

Zelenskyy has meanwhile remained engaged with Western allies. Speaking about his meeting with President Donald Trump on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos, he described the interaction as "very positive," and said both sides had arrived at an understanding on prospective US security guarantees for Ukraine, contingent upon approval by the US Congress and Ukraine's parliament.

- ANI