Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators will hold talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, in what officials say is the first meeting attended by all three countries since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.
The Kremlin confirmed Russian officials would attend the talks in Abu Dhabi following a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoys in Moscow.
Russia described those talks as “useful in every respect”, but said a long-term peace deal could not be reached until territorial issues had been resolved.
Zelensky earlier used his speech at the World Economic Forum to criticise European allies for a lack of “political will” in taking action against Russia.
Present at the Thursday night meeting with Putin and two other Russian aides were three US representatives, including Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the talks were “substantive, constructive and very frank”, but reiterated that any agreement for durable peace would not be possible without resolving territorial issues.
“Until this is achieved, Russia will continue to consistently pursue the objectives of the special military operation,” he said.
Ushakov added that Putin emphasised Russia was “sincerely interested” in a diplomatic solution.
“Without resolving the territorial issue according to the formula agreed upon in Anchorage, there is no hope of achieving a long-term settlement,” he said, a reference to the summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last year.
Witkoff last year said that Russia had agreed to allow the US and Europe to give Ukraine “robust” security guarantees as part of a potential peace deal.
After meeting with Trump in Davos, Zelensky also made clear that the future status of territory in eastern Ukraine remained an unsolved issue ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi.
“It’s all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet,” Zelensky told reporters in Davos, adding that “the Russians have to be ready for compromises, not only Ukraine”.
The territorial sticking points include Russia’s demand that Ukraine give up the 25% of the Donetsk region that Kyiv still controls.
