‘Documents For Settlement Are Nearly Ready’: Zelenskyy Says, First Ever Ukraine, US, Russia Trilateral Talks Set For UAE

Davos: After a crucial meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that a technical‑level trilateral meeting with the United States and Russia will take place on January 23 and 24 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Speaking after his address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, he declared about the upcoming session, saying “the first time Ukraine, Russia and the US have engaged in a trilateral format since the conflict began,” and expressed cautious optimism over the dialogue.

Zelenskyy’s announcement followed a 1‑hour meeting with Trump, who was in Davos for a separate ‘Board of Peace’ event. The Ukrainian President said that his team had already sat down with American officials on Thursday, after which the US delegation was slated to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Our guys are meeting with the Americans today, then the Americans are meeting with the Russians tomorrow, tonight when, I don’t know, maybe Putin is sleeping, you said no one knows what’s in his head,” Zelenskyy quipped, stressing the uncertainty surrounding the Russian leader’s intentions.

Following the announcement, while the sequence of engagements has been confirmed, it remains unclear whether Ukrainian and Russian negotiators will sit face‑to‑face or operate through intermediaries. The lack of clarity leaves the proposed upcoming trilateral meeting gripped with speculations and tensions.

Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022, diplomatic channels between Kyiv and Moscow have been largely frozen, with only periodic, low‑level contacts mediated by third parties. The US has supplied weapons and intelligence to Ukraine, while also imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia. However, a direct three‑way talk has never materialised until now.

The experts stated that the choice of the UAE as a venue is not random. Abu Dhabi has acted as a neutral broker in previous humanitarian exchanges, most notably prisoner‑of‑war swaps, and its logistics infrastructure makes it a convenient meeting point for delegations from 3 continents. 

‘Documents For Settlement Are Nearly Ready’: Zelenskyy’s Cautious Optimism

At the World Economic Forum, Zelenskyy’s tone was measured but hopeful. “Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we will have a trilateral meeting, it’s better than not having any dialogue,” he stated at the forum, asserting that even a technical discussion could lay groundwork for higher‑level negotiations. He added, "The foundational documents for a settlement are nearly, nearly ready,” but warned that any final agreement must be anchored in solid security guarantees rather than vague promises.

Zelenskyy's remarks came after an hour‑long meeting with Donald Trump, who described their conversation as “good". Trump has been vocal about wanting an immediate end to the war, and his presence in Davos added an unexpected diplomatic dimension to the already charged atmosphere.

Here's The Timeline For The Proposed Historic Trilateral Meeting

According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian officials met with the US delegation on Thursday, following which the US team then headed to Moscow to engage with the Russian officials on Friday evening. The trilateral technical session in the UAE will then commence on Saturday and continue into Sunday.

The wording leaves open the question of format. Will Ukrainian and Russian representatives sit at the same table, or will they exchange positions through American mediators? Zelenskyy did not clarify, stating only that the arrangement was facilitated by the American side, adding, "Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine.” The ambiguity fuels speculation that the meeting could be a series of parallel discussions rather than a single, joint negotiation.

If successful, the talks could be the first concrete step toward a cease‑fire, easing the humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions and destroyed infrastructure across eastern Ukraine. The Western analysts warned that without clear security guarantees for Ukraine, any agreement may be short‑lived. Meanwhile, the Russian officials have hinted that they expect compromises from all parties, suggesting that Moscow may demand territorial concessions in exchange for a halt to hostilities.

European Union Reels With Greenland Tensions

The European leaders, still reeling from recent tensions over Greenland and other geopolitical flashpoints, have expressed a cautious welcome to the development. “Dialogue is always preferable to silence,” said a senior EU diplomat, while urging that any outcome respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In Washington, the officials have framed the meeting as a technical breakthrough that could open channels for higher‑level diplomacy, though they warned that the road to peace remains long and fraught with obstacles.

The upcoming UAE meeting will be a test of whether three years of bloodshed can give way to measured conversation. Zelenskyy’s blend of optimism and realism captured the balance, who remained aware that words alone will not stop artillery. The next 48 hours in Abu Dhabi could either sow the first seeds of peace or add another chapter to a conflict that has already reshaped Europe’s security.