The key facts

  • Trump expects 'significant achievements' at a possible trilateral summit, but did not name the venue or timing
  • The planned agenda in Abu Dhabi: energy, de-escalation at sea, and prisoner exchanges
  • The EU wants to take part in the talks; according to Euronews, the delegation may be led by Björn Seibert

Trump on the trilateral meeting

US President Donald Trump expressed hope that trilateral talks involving himself, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky will take place in the near future. According to him, such a meeting could happen as reported by Kun.uz.

Uncertainty over the format

The situation around a possible trilateral meeting of delegations from the US, Ukraine and Russia remains not entirely clear. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after speaking with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, said he had the impression that

Putin's hour-and-a-half 'lecture'

Details of Putin's phone call with Stubb and Store are reported by the Financial Times, citing sources: instead of the planned half an hour, the conversation lasted almost an hour and a half, because the Russian leader delivered a 'lecture' to the European politicians on the history of the Slavs. Stubb and Store decided not to interrupt him in order to understand how seriously Putin was inclined toward dialogue with Europe. The Kremlin said in its comment that Putin assessed the situation in the conflict zone in Ukraine and recalled its 'true causes'; according to the FT, the question of an immediate ceasefire was not discussed during the call.

Disagreements within Europe

The initiative to talk with Putin caused friction in Europe: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized Stubb and Store, noting that the step had not been coordinated with other EU countries. The Finnish president responded by explaining that he and Store had held the conversation 'not as representatives of Europe, but as leaders of their own countries.' Meanwhile, the EU is discussing whom to send to talks with Russia; Stubb is named among the likely candidates — in part because of his good relations with Trump.

The EU seeks a seat in Abu Dhabi

European Union representatives also want to take part in the talks in Abu Dhabi. According to Euronews, the delegation may be led by Björn Seibert, head of cabinet for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The outlet notes that a format involving the US, Ukraine, Russia and the EU would be the first of its kind since the start of the full-scale war.