Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that preparations for the second round of direct trilateral negotiations, mediated by the United States, between Russia and Ukraine in the UAE, have been finalised. The talks are now scheduled for February 4 in Abu Dhabi, rather than this Sunday as previously planned. The Kremlin has not yet issued an official response.
The first round of peace negotiations between the two sides took place on January 23–24, marking the first direct talks since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Both sides described the meeting as positive and constructive, though they acknowledged that territorial issues remain a major obstacle. Zelenskyy’s announcement on the rescheduling left some details unclear.
No side has disclosed specifics of the first round’s discussions, although US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff posted on X, “We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev also called the meeting “constructive”.
The upcoming round will be trilateral in format. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier indicated that envoys Witkoff and Jared Kushner may not attend in person, but the United States will “maintain its presence”.
Zelenskyy stated on Sunday, “Ukraine is ready for substantive discussions and is interested in achieving an outcome that would bring the conflict closer to an end.”
Moscow has remained largely silent about the ongoing discussions and has frequently criticised Kyiv for what it calls “megaphone diplomacy”.
The Russian side maintains that it prefers a negotiated settlement to achieve its objectives but is prepared to secure them by force if necessary.
Since the April 2022 talks in Türkiye, Moscow has consistently demanded that Kyiv withdraw its troops from eastern Donbas and accept existing territorial realities as a precondition for peace. Kyiv has rejected these demands outright and insists on full restoration of its internationally recognised borders, despite continued territorial losses to Russian forces.
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