Ukraine, Russia, US to discuss fraught issue of territorial concessions in Abu Dhabi

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the future of the eastern Donbas region will be a major topic as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States gather in Abu Dhabi on Friday. This meeting aims to address Russia's nearly four-year invasion. The foreign ministry of the UAE confirmed that discussions began on Friday and will last for two days as part of ongoing efforts to foster dialogue and seek political solutions to the crisis. The White House noted that the talks have been productive and indicated that discussions would continue on Saturday. These trilateral talks followed a long meeting where Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump’s representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Kremlin stated that for a peace agreement to happen, Ukraine must pull its troops back from the eastern areas that Russia has illegally annexed but has not fully occupied. After his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy mentioned that while the situation regarding the land currently held by Russia is still unclear, the peace proposals are "nearly ready." He also expressed his willingness to create a free trade zone under Ukraine's authority in the eastern part of the country, a topic he discussed with Trump in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. “I think it will be positive for our business,” Zelenskyy shared with reporters. This meeting marks the first time officials from the Trump administration are simultaneously engaging with negotiators from both Ukraine and Russia. Although it remains uncertain how the discussions will progress and significant challenges to peace persist, some view this as a hopeful sign of potential progress toward an agreement. In his evening address to the nation on Friday, Zelenskyy mentioned that the Ukrainian team at the talks updated him "almost every hour."