Abu Dhabi: Ukraine, Russia and the United States held rare trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates this week, focusing on the long running dispute over Ukrainian territory as part of efforts to find a path toward ending the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the talks were mainly about land issues, especially in eastern Ukraine, where some of the fiercest fighting has taken place. He said it was too early to judge whether the discussions would bring results and stressed that Russia must show real readiness to end the war it started.

According to Ukrainian officials, the Donetsk region remains the main sticking point. Russia is demanding that Ukraine give up parts of the region that are still under Ukrainian control. Kyiv has rejected this and insists that any peace plan must respect its territorial integrity.

The talks in Abu Dhabi followed separate meetings between Zelenskiy and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. After those meetings, Zelenskiy said Ukraine had prepared a draft package of US security guarantees and that discussions were underway on when and where such an agreement could be signed.

Officials familiar with the negotiations said the meetings were tense and showed little sign of compromise so far. Each side presented its position, but there was no announcement of any breakthrough.

The negotiations are taking place while fighting continues on the ground. Ukraine has reported fresh Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure in recent days, leading to power cuts in several areas.

Western diplomats say the Abu Dhabi talks are an important step because they bring all three parties together in one forum. However, they caution that resolving the territorial issue will be extremely difficult, as it goes to the heart of the conflict and touches on national identity and security for both Ukraine and Russia.

For now, the talks are expected to continue in different formats, with more meetings planned in the coming days. Whether they will move the sides closer to a ceasefire or a broader peace deal remains uncertain.