Historic breakthrough: Zelenskyy announces trilateral peace summit with US, Russia

Davos: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that the United Arab Emirates will host high-level "trilateral" negotiations this week involving officials from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, signalling a potential shift toward direct diplomatic engagement as the war enters its fourth year.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos following a "productive" meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy said the talks are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. While he did not specify the exact level of the delegations, he described the upcoming sessions as a technical-level breakthrough.

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"It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow," Zelenskyy said. He noted that the arrangement was facilitated by the American side, adding, "Russians have to be ready for compromises because, you know, everybody has to be ready, not only Ukraine."

The Ukrainian leader did not confirm whether his representatives would negotiate face-to-face with the Russian delegation, and his office declined to provide further clarity on the specific format. However, the announcement follows a period of intense shadow diplomacy, including recent visits to Moscow by U.S. special envoys.

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Zelenskyy’s remarks in Switzerland were paired with a blunt message to the Kremlin and a critique of European inertia. He told the forum that the foundational documents for a settlement are "nearly, nearly ready," but stressed that any final agreement must be rooted in security guarantees rather than mere promises.

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The choice of the UAE as a venue follows its successful role as a facilitator for previous prisoner-of-war exchanges. If the technical talks proceed as described, they would represent the most significant three-way diplomatic effort since the failed negotiations in Istanbul during the early months of the 2022 invasion.

With inputs from AP