US, Ukraine and Russia to hold security talks in UAE, says Kremlin

MOSCOW – Russia said it will hold security talks with the US and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Jan 23, but warned after a late-night meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and three US envoys that a durable peace would not be possible unless territorial issues were resolved.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters the talks, which began shortly before midnight and lasted some four hours, had been useful and extremely frank.

He said Russian Admiral Igor Kostyukov would head Moscow’s team at the three-way security talks, and investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev would meet separately on economic issues with Mr Steve Witkoff, the envoy of US President Donald Trump.

But while outlining the next steps, Mr Ushakov stopped short of hailing any major breakthrough.

“Most importantly, during these talks between our president and the Americans’, it was reiterated that without resolving the territorial issue according to the formula agreed upon in Anchorage, there is no hope of achieving a long-term settlement,” he said, referring to the 2025 Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.

Mr Ushakov said Mr Putin underlined that Russia was “sincerely interested” in a diplomatic solution.

He added: “Until this is achieved, Russia will continue to consistently pursue the objectives of the special military operation. This is especially true on the battlefield, where the Russian armed forces hold the strategic initiative.”

Mr Putin, Mr Ushakov and Mr Dmitriev took part in the talks on the Russian side.

On the US side, Mr Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who last met Mr Putin in the Kremlin in early December 2025, were accompanied by Mr Josh Gruenbaum, newly appointed by Mr Trump as a senior adviser to his Board of Peace, which will seek to tackle world conflicts.

The talks were the latest stage in a drive by Mr Trump to bring an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II, now approaching the end of its fourth year. REUTERS