US, Ukraine and Russia set for first trilateral talks of the war

Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators will hold their first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates later Friday, which will focus on security issues, said Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow following around four hours of Russia-US talks, Ushakov said the decision was reached during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the American delegation, which included special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum.

Ushakov said the Russian delegation for the talks in the UAE has already been formed, received presidential instructions, and will depart for the Arab country shortly.

Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, will lead the Russian side at the meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Additionally, a separate bilateral meeting on economic issues between Dmitriev and Witkoff is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the meeting in the UAE, saying it will last two days, on Jan. 23 and 24. He did not provide other details except for the composition of the Ukrainian delegation, which will include the head of the Presidential Administration, Kyrylo Budanov, and his first deputy Sergiy Kyslytsya, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, lawmaker David Arahammia, and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov.