The US is promoting the idea of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Abu Dhabi later this week and will propose an "energy ceasefire" there.
This is reported by the Financial Times, citing sources.
According to a senior US official, the talks are tentatively scheduled for Friday and Saturday (January 23 and 24) in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. At the same time, the Office of the President of Ukraine clarified that the format and date have not yet been finally confirmed. Kyiv and Washington are awaiting Moscowʼs response.
The US is expected to be represented at the talks by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trumpʼs son-in-law Jared Kushner, who are due to discuss the initiative with Vladimir Putin in Moscow the day before. Ukraine plans to send chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, the head of the Presidentʼs Office Kyrylo Budanov, and head of the “Servant of the People” party Davyd Arakhamia.
Russia has not yet confirmed its participation in the trilateral format. According to the FT, Moscow has signaled its readiness for parallel negotiations with US mediation without direct contact with Ukraine, following the model of the meetings held in Abu Dhabi last November.
If the meeting takes place, it will be the first time since Donald Trump returned to power that representatives of the United States, Ukraine and Russia will sit at the negotiating table simultaneously. Previous direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul last year ended without a result.
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