First Russia–US–Ukraine Meeting to Take Place in Abu Dhabi – Putin Aide

Jan 23, 2026 at 12:43 PM

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Lanka Leader

Russian, Ukrainian, and US officials will hold their first trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said following talks in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and envoys of US President Donald Trump.

Putin held nearly four hours of discussions with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum. Ushakov and Russian investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev also attended the talks.

Speaking to journalists by phone, Ushakov described the discussions as “substantive, constructive, and extremely candid.” He said a trilateral working group on security will convene for the first time later on Friday in Abu Dhabi.

According to Ushakov, the Russian delegation to the talks will be led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of the GRU military intelligence agency, and has received direct instructions from Putin. The delegation is expected to travel to the United Arab Emirates in the coming hours.

Ushakov added that Witkoff and Dmitriev will also meet separately in Abu Dhabi to discuss Russia–US trade.

The Kremlin aide reiterated Moscow’s position that a peace settlement with Kiev is impossible “without resolving the territorial issue.”

“Russia remains interested in resolving the Ukrainian crisis by political and diplomatic means,” Ushakov said. “However, if this does not happen, Russia will continue achieving its objectives on the battlefield, where Russian forces currently have the initiative.”

On Thursday, Trump met Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking later to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was optimistic about brokering peace between Moscow and Kiev, while acknowledging the complexity of the border issue.

Moscow has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from territories claimed by Russia and recognize Russia’s borders, including Crimea and the Donbass regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out any territorial concessions.