Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators will hold their first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates later Friday, which will focus on security issues, said Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow following around four hours of Russia-US talks, Ushakov said the decision was reached during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the American delegation, which included special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum.
Representing Russia were presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriyev and Ushakov.
"It was agreed that today, on Friday, January 23rd, the first meeting of the trilateral working group on security issues will take place in Abu Dhabi. The trilateral working group consists of representatives from Russia, the United States and Ukraine," he said.
Ushakov said the Russian delegation for the talks in the UAE has already been formed, received presidential instructions, and will depart for the Arab country shortly.
Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, will lead the Russian side at the meeting in Abu Dhabi.
Additionally, a separate bilateral meeting on economic issues between Dmitriyev and Witkoff is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.
Ushakov praised the US role in organizing the meeting, noting that Washington "has done a lot" to prepare and is counting on its success. He said US representatives are already drafting plans that could be implemented after a settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
Ushakov said the Kremlin talks focused on hearing about the outcomes of recent US contacts with Ukrainian and European officials.
The American delegation shared their assessment of US President Donald Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos, Switzerland directly with Putin.
"The interlocutors, as you know, arrived from Davos, where they participated in a series of events with their president, Donald Trump, literally before their departure to Moscow, including those related to the Ukrainian settlement," he said.
Ushakov added that the Russian side made it clear that without resolving territorial issues, "it is impossible to count on a long-term settlement in Ukraine."
Both sides agreed to maintain close contacts on the Ukrainian issue and other matters going forward. The meeting at the Kremlin also discussed Trump's initiative to create a "Board of Peace" and the situation surrounding Greenland.
