Trump Admin Optimistic on Russia–Ukraine Deal Following Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks

A U.S. official said U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian representatives agreed to meet for another round of talks next week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) greet U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff (2nd L), Jared Kushner (2nd R), and Josh Gruenbaum, the head of the Federal Acquisition Service at the General Services Administration, at the Senate Palace of the Kremlin, in Moscow, on Jan. 22, 2026. Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

President Donald Trump’s negotiators are seeing signs of progress on a deal to end the Russia–Ukraine war following two days of talks in the United Arab Emirates.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, held trilateral talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23 and 24. Although no parties announced an immediate breakthrough from the talks, a pair of U.S. officials familiar with the discussions described marked progress since November 2025, when U.S. and Ukrainian representatives met in Geneva.