Officials from Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. have commenced high-level trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi, marking the first such meeting since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The summit follows a marathon meeting in Moscow between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to discuss parameters for a settlement. Despite the diplomatic push, the Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the Donbas region and cede significant territory as a condition for peace. While President Zelenskyy noted that peace proposals are “nearly ready,” the fundamental disagreement over territorial concessions remains the primary obstacle to a ceasefire.
Date: January 23, 2026. Source: theguardian.com