Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the future of Ukraine鈥檚 eastern Donbas region would be a key focus as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States meet in Abu Dhabi for talks to end Russia鈥檚 nearly .
The UAE鈥檚 foreign ministry said the talks, which commenced on Friday and were scheduled to continue Saturday, were part of efforts “to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis.鈥� The White House described the talks as productive.
Just hours before the three-way talks began, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a settlement with U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during marathon overnight talks. The Kremlin insisted that to reach a peace deal, Kyiv must withdraw its troops from the areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed but has not fully captured.
Zelenskyy said after meeting with Trump on Thursday that while the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia remains unresolved, the peace proposals are 鈥渘early ready.鈥�
He also reiterated his openness to establishing a free trade zone under Ukraine鈥檚 control in the country鈥檚 east, adding that he discussed the proposal with Trump. 鈥淚 think it will be positive for our business,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
Friday is the first known time that officials from the Trump administration simultaneously met with negotiators from both Ukraine and Russia. While it鈥檚 unclear how the talks will unfold and many obstacles to peace remain, some see it as a sign that the parties are making headway in closing a deal.
Speaking in his evening address to the nation late Friday, Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation at the talks reported to him 鈥渁lmost every hour.鈥�
鈥淭hey are discussing the parameters for ending the war,” Zelenskyy said. “Now, they should at least get some answers from Russia, and the most important thing is that Russia should be ready to end this war, which it itself started.鈥�
He added that it was too early to draw conclusions about Friday’s talks and he would see how they go on Saturday.
“It鈥檚 not just about Ukraine鈥檚 desire to end this war and achieve full security 鈥� it鈥檚 also about Russia somehow developing a similar desire,鈥� Zelenskyy said.
Kremlin insists on 鈥榮olving territorial issue鈥�
The Kremlin offered little detail beyond calling Friday鈥檚 meeting a 鈥渨orking group on security issues.鈥�
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed that Russia’s demand for the Ukrainian troops’ withdrawal from the eastern Donbas region is an 鈥渋mportant condition,鈥� adding that there are other 鈥渘uances鈥� on the agenda that he wouldn’t specify.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who participated in Putin鈥檚 meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, said 鈥渋t was reaffirmed that reaching a long-term settlement can鈥檛 be expected without solving the territorial issue.鈥� He described the talks with the U.S. as 鈥渇rank, constructive鈥� and 鈥渇ruitful.鈥�
Russia鈥檚 state Tass news agency reported that the discussions included possible buffer zones and control measures.
Peskov told reporters that the Russian delegation, headed by Adm. Igor Kostyukov, is comprised of military officials. Separately, Putin鈥檚 envoy Kirill Dmitriev will hold talks with Witkoff on economic issues, Peskov added.
The U.S. has confirmed Witkoff and Kushner are attending the talks in Abu Dhabi along with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and NATO鈥檚 top general, U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.
The Ukrainian team includes Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine鈥檚 national security and defense council; Andrii Hnatov, chief of the general staff; and , head of the presidential office.
Trump鈥檚 meeting with Zelenskyy
Hours before the Kremin talks, Zelenskyy met with Trump behind closed doors for about an hour at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing the meeting as 鈥減roductive and meaningful.鈥�
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington, Trump said the meeting went well, adding that both Putin and Zelenskyy want to reach a deal and that 鈥渆veryone鈥檚 making concessions鈥� to try to end the war.
He said the sticking points remain the same as they鈥檝e been during talks held during the past six or seven months, noting 鈥渂oundaries鈥� was a key issue. 鈥淭he main hold-up is the same things that鈥檚 been holding it up for the last year,鈥� he said.
Russia鈥檚 bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions.
Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions, and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians.
Zelenskyy blasts European allies
Addressing the World Economic Forum on Thursday after meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy listed a and criticisms of Europe.
He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defense, failing to stop Russia鈥檚 鈥漵hadow fleet鈥� of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things.
鈥淓urope looks lost,鈥� Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europe鈥檚 response with Washington鈥檚 bold steps in Venezuela and Iran.
The former comic actor referred to the movie 鈥淕roundhog Day,鈥� in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again.
鈥淛ust last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again,鈥� Zelenskyy said.
___
Hrabchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Manenkov from Davos, Switzerland. Josh Boak on Air Force One, Meg Kinnard in Houston and Aamer Madhani, Konstantin Toropin and Ali Swenson in Washington contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP鈥檚 coverage of the war in Ukraine at
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
