By Micah Jonah
January 24, 2026
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators on Friday opened high level talks in Abu Dhabi under the mediation of the United States, with territorial disputes emerging as the central issue in efforts to end the nearly four year war between both countries.
The two day discussions, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, mark the first direct, publicly acknowledged negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv under a peace framework being promoted by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the talks were aimed at promoting dialogue and identifying political solutions to the crisis.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the issue of territory would be key in the negotiations, stressing that Russia must be prepared to end the war it started.
Zelenskyy, who said he remained in constant contact with the Ukrainian delegation, noted that it was too early to draw conclusions from the opening session of talks, adding that more clarity was expected after the second day of discussions.
The Abu Dhabi meeting comes a day after Zelenskyy met President Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and hours after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff held late night talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Russia has insisted that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from the entire Donbas region, including areas still under Ukrainian control. The Kremlin said full control of Donetsk and surrounding territories remains a key condition for any long term settlement.
Ukraine, on its part, is demanding firm security guarantees from its Western allies, including the United States, to prevent any future Russian invasion if a ceasefire or peace agreement is reached.
Russian state media reported that discussions in Abu Dhabi also covered possible buffer zones and international monitoring mechanisms along contested borders.
The talks are taking place amid continued fighting on the ground. Ukrainian authorities said fresh Russian strikes killed civilians in the Kharkiv region and eastern parts of the country, while energy infrastructure has continued to come under attack, worsening power outages during winter.
President Trump said earlier this week that he believed both leaders were willing to reach an agreement to end the war, expressing confidence that negotiations could lead to a breakthrough if both sides showed commitment.
Russia’s delegation in Abu Dhabi is being led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov and is made up largely of senior military officials. President Putin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, is expected to hold separate discussions with U.S. officials on economic related matters.
The United States delegation includes Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, presidential adviser Jared Kushner, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and NATO’s top military commander, U.S. Air Force General, Alexus Grynkewich.
Ukraine’s team features senior security officials, including Rustem Umerov of the National Security and Defence Council, Chief of General Staff Andrii Hnatov, and Kyrylo Budanov from the presidential office. The last known face to face talks between Russia and Ukraine were held in Istanbul last year and only resulted in agreements to exchange prisoners of war. Observers now see the Abu Dhabi talks as the most serious diplomatic effort so far to chart a path toward ending the conflict, though major differences remain on territory and security arrangements.
