Zelensky suggests 'trilateral' talks between Russia, US, Ukraine in UAE

DAVOS

The United Arab Emirates will host "trilateral" talks on the Ukraine war this week with Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian officials, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.

The Ukrainian leader did not elaborate on the format of the talks, or whether Ukrainian and Russian officials would negotiate directly, and his office did not respond to requests to clarify.

"It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow," Zelensky said following his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"Russians have to be ready for compromises," he added.

Zelensky said the Ukrainian team led by Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, Rustem Umerov, would also be represented by the military, namely Lieutenant General Andriy Gnatov.

"It will be a trilateral meeting at the level of negotiators. We'll see what the result will be," he added, speaking to journalists including AFP after his address at Davos.

The United Arab Emirates has mediated between Moscow and Kiev throughout the war, particularly on prisoner exchanges.

Ukrainian and Russian officials have met face-to-face on several occasions since Russian launched its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, but those talks have not brought an end to fighting that has cost tens of thousands of lives.