Trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are set to resume in Abu Dhabi this week, as diplomatic efforts continue alongside ongoing hostilities and uncertainty over a temporary halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
The meetings, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, follow an earlier round of negotiations in late January that yielded limited progress, particularly on territorial disputes, even as international pressure grows to find a pathway toward ending the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the upcoming talks after receiving a report from his negotiating team, signaling Kyiv’s readiness to reengage despite continued military activity and infrastructure damage.
The discussions will take place in the United Arab Emirates, which has hosted previous rounds of the trilateral format.
Zelenskyy said envoys from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States would participate in the talks, emphasizing Kyiv’s position that meaningful dialogue remains possible.
“Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion, and we are interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war,” he said.
The talks come amid sustained pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly stated that an agreement to end the conflict is within reach and has described himself as a “peacemaker.”
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said he held constructive discussions with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida over the weekend, attended by senior U.S. officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jared Kushner, and White House adviser Josh Gruenbaum.
Both American and Russian representatives characterized those meetings as productive, while Ukrainian officials said Kyiv remained in regular contact with Washington ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks.
The renewed negotiations coincide with the expiration of a brief and limited truce on strikes against energy infrastructure, brokered by Trump amid severe winter conditions.
Confusion has persisted over the exact duration of the suspension, with differing interpretations from Moscow and Kyiv, though neither side has reported major recent attacks on energy facilities.
Zelenskyy has nonetheless accused Russia of attempting to disrupt logistics and connectivity through continued air attacks.
In southeastern Ukraine, regional officials reported two people killed in a drone strike on a residential building in Dnipro and six wounded in an attack on a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia.
Both Russia and Ukraine also reported intercepting dozens of drones overnight, underscoring the continued intensity of the conflict as diplomats prepare to meet.