Washington: US President Donald Trump has directed his negotiating team to pursue a long-term deal to prevent a recurrence of the Ukraine war, senior administration officials said following what they described as productive discussions involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Recent diplomatic engagements in Davos, Abu Dhabi, and Russia focused on resolving what they termed the remaining open issues in the conflict, including security, prosperity, frozen assets, territory, and de-escalation, according to senior administration officials.
Officials said the discussions have led to agreement on a trilateral format. This involves Ukraine and Russia, with the United States facilitating.
A senior official said President Trump met President Zelensky in Davos and reviewed progress from recent months. This meeting helped Trump give new instructions to his negotiating team. Later, there were meetings in Abu Dhabi and a four-hour discussion with President Putin in Russia. US officials described these as “very, very productive.”
According to the official, the Abu Dhabi engagement was a critical step toward a new phase in negotiations. US officials said it took weeks of effort to organize a trilateral setting. Ukrainian and Russian leaders agreed only after believing talks had progressed enough for technical discussions.
The trilateral meeting included both military and political participants, with Ukrainian officials in attendance. The talks lasted two days and featured extensive informal discussions. Negotiators focused on de-escalation, exploring measures to assure both sides that the war would not resume once it ends.
Senior administration officials said President Trump wants an agreement that endures. The goal is to set up a framework and a new paradigm. They said this would prevent future conflict and reduce the risk of renewed fighting.
Discussions covered many issues, including security and economic considerations. Officials said this showed the wide scope of the negotiations.
Officials also noted the positive tone of interactions. They said it was significant to see Ukrainian and Russian representatives engage directly and respectfully after a long break. The talks let both sides share opinions, concerns, and ideas freely. This led to what officials called a fluid and productive atmosphere.
Administration officials said more talks are expected in the coming days. Ukrainian and Russian officials will meet again in Abu Dhabi for more discussions. These talks will focus on advancing ceasefire efforts.
Those talks, officials said, marked the first time representatives from all three countries sat face to face to try to hash out a ceasefire. The talks covered economic and military issues, as well as territorial disputes over land Russia would retain after the war. US officials, speaking anonymously, said these remain among the most sensitive and unresolved questions.
President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner led the meetings. They met President Zelensky in Switzerland. Afterwards, they traveled to Moscow to discuss with President Putin. Senior US military officials, including the head of US European Command and NATO forces, later joined them.
One of the major sticking points identified by US officials is the question of post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. European countries have advocated a limited troop presence to monitor a ceasefire, while US officials have indicated that American support would focus on intelligence, surveillance, and logistics rather than deploying troops on the ground.
The talks addressed economic issues, including the future of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, now occupied by Russian forces. No agreement was reached. US officials said proposals were discussed for Ukraine and Russia to share electricity from the facility, the largest nuclear plant in Europe.
(IANS)
