First day of Russia-Ukraine-US talks concludes in Abu Dhabi
Russia, Ukraine, and the US have concluded the first day of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi. The delegations held negotiations behind closed doors for nearly five hours on Tuesday and are set to resume discussions on Wednesday.
Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky is leading the Russian delegation, which includes deputy foreign ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
US envoy Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan were seen seated between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
The Ukrainian team is headed by Foreign Intelligence Service chief Rustem Umerov, who has said Vladimir Zelensky has authorized the delegation to discuss all issues related to ending the conflict.
No European representatives were present at the negotiating table, but photos in Ukrainian media have shown the US delegation meeting in a separate room with the Ukrainian team and envoys from France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the EU ahead of the talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Moscow would not obstruct Washington’s contacts with European officials, but expressed doubt that such meetings would help negotiations.
“The Europeans flew to Abu Dhabi – well, let them sit in the hotel,” he told reporters, accusing them of seeking to buy time for Kiev. Lavrov said the talks should first establish the parameters of security for Russia, Ukraine, and the wider European region before moving on to a settlement of the conflict.
At the opening of the negotiations, Medinsky thanked the UAE for its hospitality and the US for its peacemaking efforts. He expressed hope that the revised composition of Russia’s delegation would help advance the peace process.
The UAE’s foreign minister also welcomed the delegations, thanking Trump, Putin, and Zelensky for their trust in the host country.
