Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks: Constructive Progress but No Breakthrough as Donbas Dispute Persists

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States made constructive progress in two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, but cautioned that a clear path to peace remains elusive.

"A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive," Zelensky wrote on social media, adding that "the central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending the war." The session, held Friday and Saturday, was the first face-to-face meeting among officials from all three countries since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Face-to-Face Diplomacy Moves Forward

U.S. officials described the meetings as a significant advance after months of quiet diplomacy, saying direct talks made progress possible even though a final agreement is not assured. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, called the discussions "very constructive" and said plans were made to continue conversations the following week in Abu Dhabi.

Representatives from the US, Russia, and Ukraine meet for trilateral talks at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 24, 2026. - UAE Government/Handout/Reuters

U.S. officials announced that the next round of talks is scheduled to begin in Abu Dhabi on February 1.

Key Documents and Points Under Discussion

Zelensky said a document outlining the security guarantees Ukraine seeks — a central issue for the country’s postwar stability — is "100% ready." Kyiv said it is seeking primarily bilateral security guarantees with the United States; after signature, the pact would need ratification by the U.S. Congress and the Ukrainian parliament.

Negotiators also reviewed a revised, 20-point plan covering territory, economics, security and other issues. Despite reported progress, territory — particularly control of the Donbas region (Donetsk and Luhansk) — remained the most divisive topic.

Cars drive along a road during a power outage in Kyiv on January 20, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - Sergei Gapon/AFP/Getty Images

Territorial Dispute and Moscow’s Position

Russian officials reiterated that territorial concessions are central to Moscow’s demands. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow wants a plan that "fully corresponds to the fundamental understandings" reportedly reached by President Vladimir Putin and President Trump at an Anchorage summit last year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the so-called "Anchorage formula" envisions Ukraine ceding the remainder of Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for a ceasefire — a demand Kyiv has consistently rejected.

Violence Continued During Talks

The diplomatic effort unfolded amid renewed Russian strikes. Ukrainian authorities said Moscow launched the largest overnight aerial attack on the country so far this year during the talks. Kyiv reported at least one person killed and four wounded in strikes on the capital, with falling debris causing fires and damage. Nearly 6,000 apartment blocks lost heating during a bitter cold spell.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, accused President Putin of "cynically" ordering the attack while diplomacy was underway. President Zelensky wrote that each strike on energy infrastructure "proves that there must be no delays in supplying air defenses" and urged a strong response to such attacks.

Cross-Strikes and Military Claims

Ukraine reported it struck several Russian targets overnight, including an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which the Ukrainian General Staff said was "involved in supplying the aggressor’s armed forces." Russia’s Ministry of Defense said 34 drones were intercepted in the Krasnodar region; local officials reported fires at two "enterprises" from falling drone fragments.

Outlook

Officials described the Abu Dhabi sessions as the opening of a delicate process rather than a resolution. Zelensky called the talks "the first steps towards finding that very compromise," but emphasized that compromise requires readiness from all parties, including the United States. With a new round scheduled for February 1, negotiators will continue to face the fundamental divide over territory while trying to build agreement on security guarantees and other postwar arrangements.

Reported contributors: CNN reporters and regional correspondents. All developments are subject to confirmation as diplomatic discussions proceed.