Abu dhabi: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the issue of the Donbas region will be the central focus during the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, involving Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators. The discussions, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, aim to address and discuss the modalities of the Donbas issue as perceived by the involved parties.
According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy's statements were made ahead of the two-day talks in the UAE capital. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are set to join the discussions after previously meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Witkoff noted that significant progress has been made in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, with only one issue remaining to be resolved.
Zelenskyy had previously mentioned at Davos that the American team would travel to Moscow following their meeting with President Trump, and subsequently, a trilateral meeting would occur in the Emirates. The Ukrainian delegation to Abu Dhabi includes Kyrylo Budanov, head of the presidential office, and National Security and Defense Council chief Rustem Umerov.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that the talks between Putin and US envoys in Moscow led to the agreement on holding the first meeting of a trilateral working group on security matters in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the venue will host a meeting of the heads of a bilateral working group on economic issues. Moscow's delegation will be led by Igor Kostyukov, with a separate bilateral meeting on economic matters involving Witkoff and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Zelenskyy also addressed security guarantees for Ukraine, stating that a deal is ready to be signed, pending confirmation from President Trump. He highlighted the importance of transparency in the funding sources for Ukraine's reconstruction, which will be based on the prosperity agreement documents yet to be signed. He emphasized the need for clarity in funding to ensure the sustainable rebuilding of Ukraine.