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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Sunday that Ukraine, the United States, and Russia are set to engage in a fresh round of discussions this week. This development comes as Ukraine seeks to move closer to resolving the ongoing conflict, even as Russia persists with its military strikes across the nation.
Zelenskyy shared via X that these crucial meetings are slated for Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi. He emphasized Ukraine’s readiness for meaningful dialogue, expressing hope that the talks will lead to a “real and dignified end to the war.”
This announcement occurs amid escalated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy and logistical infrastructure, exacerbating conditions for civilians as winter grips the region with plunging temperatures.
The Ukrainian leader’s statement coincides with his recent appearance alongside Lithuanian President Gitanas NausÄ—da and Polish President Karol Nawrocki at a joint press conference held at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, on January 25, 2026.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda and Polish President Karol Nawrocki, at the Presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Ukrainian officials say Moscow has repeatedly targeted power grids, heating and water systems throughout the nearly four-year war, a campaign Kyiv has described as an effort to use winter conditions as a weapon against the civilian population.
An elderly man looks out from his damaged balcony after a Russian attack in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)
Authorities warned that Ukraine is facing one of its coldest stretches of the season, with temperatures in some areas expected to fall as low as minus-22 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
President Donald Trump said late last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to temporarily halt strikes on Kyiv and other cities amid the extreme cold.
“I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this … extraordinary cold,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, adding that Putin had “agreed to that.”
The White House has not provided details on the timing or scope of the pause, and Ukrainian officials have expressed skepticism about Russia’s intentions.
Zelenskyy said Thursday that key obstacles to a peace agreement remain unresolved, including the future of occupied Ukrainian territory and Moscow’s demands for land it has not captured.
Firefighters work at the site of a private enterprise hit by an overnight Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, January 30, 2026. (Reuters)
Russia struck Ukrainian energy facilities in several regions on Thursday, Zelenskyy said, though he noted that no such strikes occurred overnight. He added that Russian drones and missiles have continued to hit residential areas and logistics hubs across Ukraine.
Trump has described Putin’s acceptance of a pause as a concession, but Zelenskyy questioned whether Moscow is genuinely interested in ending the war as the invasion approaches its fourth anniversary on Feb. 24.
“I do not believe that Russia wants to end the war. There is a great deal of evidence to the contrary,” Zelenskyy said Thursday.