Trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to take place in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
Speaking on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskyy described the planned meeting as the first trilateral engagement between the three countries to be hosted in the UAE.
“I think that it will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow,” he said.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russia must be prepared to make compromises, noting that both Kyiv and Moscow are facing difficult circumstances as the war approaches its fourth year.
His remarks came shortly after he met with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos forum. The meeting followed their previous encounter at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in December.
Trump told reporters that the discussion with Zelenskyy was “very good,” adding that efforts to resolve the conflict remain an “ongoing process.” Zelenskyy also described the meeting as positive, but cautioned that negotiations were in a challenging final phase.
“This is the last mile, which is difficult,” he said, adding that while dialogue with any leader can be complex, defending Ukraine’s national interests remains his priority.
Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday as part of parallel peace efforts. Witkoff said he was optimistic about the talks.
“I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and that means it’s solvable,” he said in Davos. “If both sides want to solve this, we’re going to get it solved.”
Witkoff added that he would travel next to Abu Dhabi, where working groups are expected to hold discussions on military-to-military matters and broader cooperation.
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