Ukraine, Russia and US to hold talks after Kremlin reports 'useful' meeting with Trump envoys

Описание: Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on his way back from Davos on Thursday, President Trump told reporters he believed the Russian and Ukrainian presidents now want to make a deal. "There were times when Putin didn't want to make a deal. Times when Zelensky didn't want to make a deal. And it was like opposite times. Now I think they both want to make a deal. We'll find out.'' He said he had "good" talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday, adding: "It would be nice to end that war." Following their meeting at Davos, Zelensky said the issue of land has not been solved yet, adding that trilateral talks today might provide the two sides with "variants". For Volodymyr Zelensky, getting the US president on board with security guarantees is an important achievement, but the focus now will be on trilateral talks with the US and Russia that are set to take place in the United Arab Emirates. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Abu Dhabi from Moscow and Zelensky's already named his team to take part which includes his top officials. Witkoff is optimistic the one big issue dividing the two sides is "solvable" - and Zelensky has confirmed it's "all about the land" in eastern Ukraine. Will Putin agree to the US plan for a demilitarised, free-trade zone in Donbas or will he continue to demand Russian control? The pace of diplomacy has clearly accelerated, but those US security guarantees won't be signed any time soon. Zelensky says they'll have to be ratified first by the US Congress and Ukrainian parliament. And we don't yet know what they involve - Kyiv wanted up to 50 years of iron-clad US commitment to come to Ukraine's aid if it comes under attack. That was always optimistic. But Zelensky is convinced that without a Trump "backstop", the Coalition of the Willing - led by the UK and France - will not be enough. Today's trilateral meeting follows Zelensky and Trump's sit-down on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Russia, Ukraine and the US are set to hold trilateral peace talks in the Middle East today - marking what's expected to be the first time all three countries have attended a meeting together since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The summit follows a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow last night. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov describes the talks as "substantive, constructive and very frank", but territorial issues remain a sticking point. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky agrees, as he told reporters in Davos yesterday: "It's all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet." But, after a handshake with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Zelensky says he has now at least reached an agreement with the US on security guarantees - should a deal be agreed. We'll catch you up with the last few days of diplomacy as we build up to the Abu Dhabi talks later today.