4-hour trilateral talks open in Abu Dhabi as war enters fifth year
U.S. envoys joined Russian and Ukrainian delegations for the first direct negotiations since February, focusing on prisoner exchanges and security frameworks.
By Harvey Wilson ·
Negotiators from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine spent nearly four hours in discussion on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, marking the first direct meeting between the three parties since February. The session opened the two-day diplomatic effort aimed at ending a conflict that has persisted since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine five years ago.
The current round follows three earlier attempts at peace talks that concluded without major breakthroughs. Those previous meetings took place earlier in 2026. The shift in circumstances now includes the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections and intensifying economic pressure on Russia. Moscow has also increased attacks on Ukraine's power grid as winter approaches, seeking to weaken civilian morale.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the initial session as constructive and substantive. He stated that discussions centered on humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges, the return of captured civilians, and the repatriation of Ukrainian children. Zelenskyy added that security guarantees were also part of the agenda.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the Group of Seven meeting in Paris, called the talks very productive but noted that considerable work remains. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key U.S. envoy, said the team identified good ideas to bridge differences. He emphasized the goal of creating a new framework for peace that builds on past institutions.
A second round of talks is scheduled for Wednesday. The U.S. delegation includes envoy Steve Witkoff and General Alexus Grynkewich, the NATO commander. The Russian team is led by Vladimir Medinsky, who has negotiated since 2022. The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Rustem Umerov, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Both sides maintain firm positions on core issues. Russia demands that Ukraine withdraw troops from four regions annexed in 2022, abandon NATO accession, and accept military limits. Ukraine rejects voluntary territory cessions and seeks an immediate ceasefire as the first step toward a wider settlement. Trump has indicated that a broader European security agreement is also in development.
Fighting continued during the diplomatic session. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 162 drones and one ballistic missile overnight. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that its forces downed 155 Ukrainian drones in eight regions and over the Crimean Peninsula.
