Trilateral Russia–US–Ukraine Talks Set to Resume in Abu Dhabi
Dragon Media News Desk
Delegations from Russia, the United States and Ukraine are due to resume trilateral talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday. The three countries’ negotiating teams last met in Geneva on February 18.
The Russian delegation will again be led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Its members include Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence agency; Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov; and Yuri Zhigarlovsky, a senior official in the Russian General Staff’s Main Operations Directorate. Ukraine’s delegation is expected to be led by Foreign Intelligence Service chief Rustem Umerov.
Russia says security guarantees will be a key subject of the talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the details would be discussed behind closed doors. The presence of senior military and diplomatic officials indicates Moscow’s readiness to address broader security concerns, beyond the technical aspects of a ceasefire.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Moscow’s position remains unchanged. He said a potential settlement should be based on the agreements reached in Istanbul, the issues discussed in Anchorage and realities on the ground. President Vladimir Putin has also said Russia is ready for negotiations and has already set out its objectives.
According to the Russian account, Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff discussed the possibility of resuming trilateral talks during a meeting in St. Petersburg on October 21. The US delegation will include Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kushner said Washington aims to address the security concerns of all parties through practical measures agreed by mutual consent.
Russia maintains that European representatives will not be part of the formal trilateral negotiations. Peskov said the format had been agreed as a three-party process from the outset. However, reports say representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and NATO are expected to attend separate meetings in Abu Dhabi and coordinate with Ukrainian and US officials.
The talks are scheduled to run on Tuesday and Wednesday, but their outcome remains uncertain. Russia is placing security guarantees and realities on the ground at the centre of the discussions, while the United States says it is seeking an agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties.
