No breakthrough as first Russia-U.S.-Ukraine peace talks conclude

The first trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 concluded in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, following two days of negotiations.

The meeting was closed to the media, leaving details limited. So far, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the only leader among the three parties to issue an official public comment.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said that Russia and Ukraine made some progress on military-related issues, but failed to bridge differences over territorial questions, which remain the most contentious aspect of the talks.

Participants for this trilateral security working group meeting include senior officials from all three sides, among them U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law; Russia's military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov and senior Ukrainian officials, including Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, and Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

"A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive," Zelenskyy said in his X post.

While not announcing any concrete outcomes, Zelenskyy said the talks focused on the possible parameters for ending the conflict. He noted that participants recognized the need for U.S. oversight of both the peace process and the implementation of any future security arrangements.

Zelenskyy added that the U.S. side presented possible frameworks for ending the conflict, along with security conditions it believes would be necessary to support such an outcome.

China Media Group (CMG) reporters learned from Russian sources that delegations from all three sides are expected to brief their respective governments after returning home, a point later confirmed by Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy said the parties agreed to report on all aspects of the talks and coordinate next steps with their leaders. The military representatives have also identified a list of issues that could be discussed in the next round.

"Provided there is readiness to move forward – and Ukraine is ready – further meetings will take place, potentially as early as next week," he disclosed.

U.S. officials cited by media outlets said the discussions have "surpassed expectations," describing the mood in the room as "very upbeat, very positive, very constructive," with a follow-up meeting tentatively scheduled for February 1 once again in Abu Dhabi.

Territory issue at the core

The United Arab Emirates, which helped organize the talks, said Russian and Ukrainian officials engaged in "direct interaction" during the meeting. Discussions reportedly centered on core elements of a U.S.-proposed "peace framework."

Russia has not released an official readout. However, after the talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov reiterated Moscow's longstanding position, stressing that Russia continues to adhere to what it describes as basic understandings reached with the U.S. in Anchorage.

A source close to the working group said territorial issues remained the most difficult obstacle. Russia's key demand is the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region, with security-related details still under discussion.

On Thursday, a day before the trilateral meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. negotiators, including Witkoff, at the Kremlin for more than three and a half hours. On the same day, Trump met with Zelenskyy in Davos, Switzerland.

Statements released afterward suggest those two separate meetings helped define the central focus of the subsequent trilateral talks: territorial issues.

According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov's statement, released after Putin's meeting with Witkoff, Moscow and Washington agreed that a lasting political solution would be impossible without addressing territorial questions. Zelenskyy made similar remarks, describing territory as the key issue.

Progress on military issues

A source familiar with the talks told CMG that negotiations were conducted in two stages. The first day focused on preliminary discussions, while the second day expanded into separate political and military working groups.

In the political group, differences remained stark. Ukraine maintained that territorial discussions should be based at least on the current line of contact, while Russia insisted that Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of the Donetsk region currently not fully under Russia's control.

The military group saw more tangible progress. The sides discussed issues including troop disengagement, ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and the possible establishment of a ceasefire monitoring and coordination center. They agreed to prepare documents defining relevant terms ahead of the next meeting.

During the talks, the Russian delegation initially opposed the involvement of NATO, the OSCE or European countries supporting Ukraine in any monitoring mechanism, but later accepted a framework involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

Sources also said the issue of an energy ceasefire was not discussed. The parties agreed to continue negotiations in the same format in about a week.

So far, apart from information on future arrangements, none of the detailed positions attributed to the talks have been officially confirmed by the parties involved.

A U.S. official cited by the Reuters said those talks could help lead to a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy.

"Those sorts of meetings have to happen, in our view, before we get a bilateral between Putin and Zelenskyy, or a trilateral with Putin, Zelenskyy and President Trump," said the official, speaking to the agency on condition of anonymity. "But I don't think we're so far away from that."

Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting on the ground has continued.

On Saturday, the second day of the Abu Dhabi talks, Zelenskyy accused Russia of launching large-scale airstrikes overnight. He said Kyiv, as well as regions including Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv, were hit, with energy facilities damaged and at least one death reported. Dozens were injured in Kharkiv, where medical facilities and residential buildings were struck.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Friday and Saturday that its forces carried out large-scale strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial facilities, energy and transport infrastructure, ammunition and fuel depots, as well as temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian troops and foreign fighters. It also said Russian forces had taken control of several settlements.

Analysts said significant differences remain, particularly on territorial and security issues, making a comprehensive peace agreement unlikely in the near term. However, limited agreements on localized ceasefires, prisoner exchanges, or the protection of food and energy corridors could still be seen as important confidence-building steps. Developments in the coming weeks should be closely watched.