Direct Ukraine–Russia talks occurred in Abu Dhabi without US involvement — Axios
Illustrative photo: Abu Dhabi talks included not only trilateral meetings (Russian media)
On January 24, talks in Abu Dhabi involved not only a trilateral Ukraine-US-Russia meeting, but also direct bilateral discussions between the Ukrainian and Russian teams, according to Axios.
The media reports, citing the Ukrainian officials, that the trilateral talks began on January 23 and continued the following day. During the talks, US representatives held joint sessions with both the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.
Also, the media notes that a separate direct bilateral meeting took place between Ukraine and Russia, without US participation.
Abu Dhabi talks
The talks involving delegations of Ukraine, Russia, and the US kicked off on January 23, with the Ukrainian delegation led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the main focus of the meeting would be territorial issues, particularly around Donbas. Ahead of the talks, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russia considers the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas one of its key conditions.
Before the meeting began, Zelenskyy held consultations with Ukraine's negotiation team.
After the first day of talks, Umerov shared some details, while Reuters reported that discussions focused primarily on territorial issues, but no compromise was reached.
On January 24, President Zelenskyy said the delegations of all three countries discussed a wide range of topics, describing the conversations as constructive.
Read here the full details of the first trilateral Ukraine–US–Russia talks, including their background.
