Trilateral Talks Planned in UAE to End Ukraine War, Says Zelensky After Meeting with Trump

Davos. Trilateral talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are set to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the aim of ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this following a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland.

Amid increased diplomatic activity, Trump stated that his meeting with Zelensky was positive, while US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has departed for Moscow to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Witkoff, who is traveling to Moscow accompanied by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, expressed optimism about reaching an agreement. Before leaving Davos, he claimed that only one main issue remained to be resolved, and that it was solvable.

Although Witkoff did not provide detailed information about the remaining contentious point, Zelensky later clarified that the issue is related to the future status of Eastern Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized that for the upcoming talks, not only Ukraine but also Russia must be prepared for an agreement.

The US has proposed a plan to demilitarize the Donbas industrial region of Ukraine, turning it into a "free economic zone," in exchange for security guarantees for Kyiv. After Moscow, Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Abu Dhabi to discuss military and economic prosperity with working groups.

Zelensky stated during his meeting with Trump that there was also an agreement regarding the security guarantees the US would provide upon reaching a deal. This agreement will require ratification by the US Congress and the Ukrainian Parliament to be implemented.

Addressing an audience in Davos, Zelensky also criticized European allies. He noted a lack of political will in Europe to take action against Russia, stating that internal debates were preventing concrete solutions from emerging.

Although a delegation led by the UK and France has committed to deploying troops to monitor any agreement, Zelensky maintains that no security guarantee will be effective without US support. Zelensky commented that while Trump cares for Europe, he is not interested in the current sluggish pace of action.