The first trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States began in Abu Dhabi

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced the planned meeting. Later, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Russia will join representatives of Ukraine and the United States at the “first meeting of the trilateral working group on security issues” in Abu Dhabi.

The talks come after US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening. The meeting, which Ushakov described as “extremely constructive,” lasted more than three hours.

The assistant to the Russian president also emphasized that “without resolving the territorial issue, one should not count on achieving a long-term settlement.” Ushakov said Russia will continue to achieve its goals “on the battlefield, where the Russian armed forces have strategic initiative” until an agreement is reached.

Russia occupies about 20% of the territory that is recognized under international law as part of sovereign Ukraine, including almost all of the Luhansk region, as well as parts of the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

Moscow’s long-standing demands include Ukraine handing over all the territory of these four regions, which Russia annexed but did not fully conquer.