Russia Engages in Trilateral Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Amidst Unwavering Territorial Demands

Historic Trilateral Discussions Underway in UAE

Delegations from the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United States have convened in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for trilateral peace talks aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict. These discussions, which commenced on Friday, January 23, 2026, and are scheduled to continue through Saturday, January 24, 2026, represent the first known high-level summit involving all three nations since Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

The United Arab Emirates is hosting the talks, with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcoming the initiative. The UAE's role as a mediator is underscored by its previous successful facilitation of 17 prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, which resulted in the release of 4,641 detainees.

Russia's Firm Stance on Territorial Concessions

A central and persistent point of contention in the negotiations is Russia's demand for Ukraine to surrender territory. Moscow insists that Ukraine must cede the approximately 20% to 25% of the Donetsk region that Kyiv still controls, an area estimated to be around 5,000 square kilometers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated this position, stating that Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas is a 'very important condition' for negotiations.

Beyond territorial demands, Russia also seeks Ukraine to renounce its ambition to join NATO and rejects any presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil following a peace agreement.

Ukrainian and US Positions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently refused to make territorial concessions, emphasizing that Ukraine will not give up land it has successfully defended. However, his participation in the Abu Dhabi talks suggests a readiness to engage in negotiations. Zelenskyy indicated that peace proposals were 'nearly ready' and that the future status of Russian-occupied territories remained unresolved. He also stressed that Russia must be prepared for compromises.

The United States is playing a mediating role in these discussions. The US delegation includes Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. These talks follow recent meetings between President Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in Davos, as well as a separate meeting between President Putin and US envoys Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow. US officials have described the initial talks as productive.

Delegations and Focus of Discussions

The Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi is led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, chief of the GRU military intelligence agency, a detail that suggests a focus on military rather than purely political aspects of the conflict. Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, confirmed that the Russian delegation was dispatched under Putin's instructions.

Leading the Ukrainian delegation is Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Other key members include Kyrylo Budanov, Davyd Arakhamia, Serhii Kyslytsia, Andrii Hnatov, and Vadym Skibitskyi. President Zelenskyy stated that his delegation 'knows what to do' in these negotiations, though he cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions from the initial discussions.