Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that a trilateral meeting involving officials from Ukraine, the United States and Russia will be held in the United Arab Emirates starting Friday, describing it as a significant step toward ending the war.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was engaging in the process “with full honesty and determination,” adding that Russia must also be prepared to end the conflict. “It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow,” he said.
He revealed that “documents aimed at ending this war” are “nearly ready,” noting that Ukrainian and US teams are working almost daily to finalise peace proposals.
Zelenskyy stressed that any progress would require compromises from all sides. “Russians have to be ready for compromises because everybody has to be ready — not only Ukraine,” he said.
Criticism of Europe’s security approach
The announcement comes after Zelenskyy criticised Europe for what he described as insufficient action on security and defence. Comparing Ukraine’s prolonged struggle to the film Groundhog Day, he said the conflict has felt like living through the same day repeatedly for years.
He argued that Europe has failed to unite around key steps such as tougher sanctions on Russian oil, the creation of tribunals to investigate alleged war crimes, and stronger support for countries resisting authoritarian pressure.
Zelenskyy said the near-finalised peace documents focus on postwar security guarantees and economic reconstruction. The upcoming UAE talks will follow a visit by the US negotiating team to Moscow, signalling intensified diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict.
“The first trilateral meeting in the Emirates is an important step,” he said, adding that while Ukraine is ready to end the war, Russia must also demonstrate readiness to stop its aggression.
Meeting with Trump in Davos
On the sidelines of the Davos summit, Zelenskyy also met US President Donald Trump for about an hour. Trump later said the meeting “went well” and reiterated his view that the conflict must end.
“The war has to end. We hope it will end because a lot of people are being killed. Last month, around 30,000 people were killed, mostly soldiers. It’s really a war that has to end,” Trump said.
