Moscow, 23 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Russia early on Friday confirmed for the first time that it will participate in negotiations with Ukraine in Abu Dhabi later in the day, following talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

The Russian delegation will be led by Igor Kostyukov, the head of the country's military intelligence agency, the GRU, according to Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, as reported by news agencies in Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had already named his team for the talks in the United Arab Emirates. The US is participating as a mediator.

The Kremlin said the talks in Moscow lasted more than three and a half hours after starting shortly before midnight (2100 GMT). Ushakov spoke of significant and useful negotiations.

Putin emphasized that he was sincerely interested in a diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, according to Ushakov.

However, he said that this would require the leadership of the neighbouring country to agree to the territorial concessions demanded by Russia. Zelensky's government has so far consistently rejected this.

The meeting also addressed topics including the use of assets frozen in the US due to Russia's war in Ukraine and Putin's invitation to join the Board of Peace newly established by the US government.

The negotiations were attended by Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and government adviser Josh Gruenbaum on the US side.

On the Russian side, Putin, special envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ushakov took part in the talks.

The Kremlin chief last received Trump's confidant Witkoff at the beginning of December. The talks at that time lasted five hours but did not result in a breakthrough.

The war began when Putin ordered an invasion of the neighbouring country in February 2022.

Photo: EPA