Abu dhabi: The first informal trilateral peace talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States have commenced in Abu Dhabi, as reported by media outlets.

According to Anadolu Agency, the RBC-Ukraine news agency highlighted remarks from Ukraine's presidential office indicating that while there is no official start time for the talks, some teams have arrived on site and are engaged in informal discussions. Dmytro Lytvyn, Ukraine's presidential communications adviser, described these talks as involving "non-formal" representatives, adding that they cannot be considered regular political meetings due to the absence of a clear framework.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has not yet confirmed the meeting, stating, "No, I don't have (such) information, I don't know," as quoted by the state news agency TASS. Meanwhile, Sky News reported that the informal meetings have begun, with formal negotiations expected to start in the evening.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced these trilateral talks during a session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff also confirmed his plans to travel to Abu Dhabi following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. At an event in Davos, Witkoff mentioned "a lot of progress" in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, stating that negotiations were down to one last issue.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the Donbas region will be a key topic during the trilateral talks. "It will be discussed and the modalities will be discussed, as the three parties see it, in Abu Dhabi today and tomorrow," he told journalists.

Separately, Peskov reiterated Russia's stance at a press briefing, asserting that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the region is a "very important condition" for achieving a peace settlement.