First US-Russia-Ukraine trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi

On 23 January 2026, officials from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met in Abu Dhabi for the first trilateral talks aimed at ending the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The meeting continued into the following day.

The United States was represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who had already been involved in earlier diplomacy on a possible peace settlement. Moscow and Kyiv sent their own delegations, which included military and security officials. The United Arab Emirates acted as host and provided a neutral venue.

The talks were notable because Russian and Ukrainian representatives sat at the same table with US mediators, rather than exchanging messages through intermediaries. Discussions reportedly covered security questions and possible ways to halt the fighting, but no ceasefire or breakthrough was announced.

The Abu Dhabi meeting mattered as the start of a new negotiating format led by Washington. It set the pattern for later rounds and for the debate over how far Europe's security interests should be reflected in any deal.