The lengthy negotiations between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump's special envoys - Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Josh Grunbaum - have concluded. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to establish the first trilateral working group on security issues with the participation of Ukraine, which will begin its work this Friday in the UAE. This was reported by Russian media, writes UNN.
Details
Putin's aide Yuriy Ushakov described the conversation as "constructive and extremely frank." The main conclusion of the meeting was the recognition that any long-term settlement of the conflict is impossible without a final resolution of the territorial issue.
US representatives shared their impressions of recent contacts in Davos, particularly Donald Trump's meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, providing Moscow with updated information on Kyiv's and Europe's positions.
Establishment of a trilateral mechanism in the UAE
The main practical result of the Americans' trip to Moscow was an agreement to hold a meeting of the "Ukraine – USA – Russia" working group in Abu Dhabi. The Russian delegation, which included representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the head of the RDIF Kirill Dmitriev, has already received specific instructions from Putin and is flying to the Emirates.
From the Ukrainian side, Rustem Umerov, Kyrylo Budanov, and other high-ranking officials are expected to arrive in Abu Dhabi, making these negotiations the first official trilateral contact of this level.
Military and economic tracks of negotiations
In parallel with security issues, a meeting of the bilateral economic group is planned in Abu Dhabi, where Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev will discuss the financial aspects of a possible truce.
Dmitriev called today's meeting "important" on his X social media page, without going into details and specifics.
Despite diplomatic activity, the Kremlin stated that Russia will continue to pursue the goals of the "SMO" by military means until a final political and diplomatic compromise is reached.
Special envoy Witkoff expressed optimism before leaving Moscow, noting that the negotiations "have entered the home stretch" and now everything depends on the parties' readiness for final concessions.