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🌍 Geopolitics
January 25, 2026

What are the possible benefits and challenges of peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.?

The Trilateral talks between U.S., Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi were "positive" and "constructive," Ukrainian officials told Axios. Why it matters: The talks were a new phase in the U.S. mediation efforts aimed at ending the war. President Trump's advisers want to try and narrow the gaps on the key sticking point — the territorial control in eastern Ukraine. Driving the news: The talks took place as Russia launched another massive missile and drone attack against Kyiv and other cities overnight. Ukrainian President Zelensky said 370 attack drones and 21 missiles of various types were fired by the Russian military. "We must ensure full implementation of everything agreed with President Trump in Davos regarding air defense," he stressed. State of play: The talks started on Friday and continued on Saturday with U.S. mediators holding a joint meeting with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators and with the Russians and Ukrainians meeting directly without the Americans in the room, Ukrainian officials said. The U.S. delegation included Trump advisers Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and the commander of the U.S. military European command, Alexus Grynkewich.The Ukrainian team included Zelensky's chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov, national security adviser Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian military chief of staff General Andrii Hnatov and Zelensky's advisers Sergiy Kyslytsya and Davyd Arakhamia. Zoom in: The Russian team was led by the head of Russian military intelligence Admiral Igor Kostyukov. The negotiation teams also held a meeting with the President of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, who hosted the talks. The UAE had mediated between Russia and Ukraine on the exchange of prisoners of war."The discussions on Friday and Saturday were conducted in a constructive and positive atmosphere and included direct engagement between Russian and Ukrainian representatives on outstanding elements of the U.S.-proposed peace framework, as well as conf

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