WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is set to convene a high-level meeting on Friday as part of his ongoing efforts to advance international peace initiatives tied to the conflict in Ukraine and other global crises. The session is expected to include senior U.S. envoys and foreign counterparts working on negotiations in Abu Dhabi, where U.S., Ukrainian and Russian representatives are engaging in trilateral talks aimed at laying groundwork for a political settlement to Russia’s nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine.
The meeting comes on the heels of Trump’s launch this week of a new international “Board of Peace” initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he unveiled the board’s charter and outlined ambitions to help stabilize ceasefires and resolve long-running conflicts such as the war in Gaza. Trump framed the effort as part of a broader U.S. commitment to peace and security.
In Davos on Thursday, Trump also held a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that U.S. and Ukrainian officials described as “productive and substantive.” Afterward, Trump said the discussion focused on ways to bolster Ukraine’s defenses and accelerate diplomatic progress toward ending the conflict. “I had a very good meeting with President Zelenskyy. Everybody wants to have the war end,” Trump told reporters, noting the importance of both diplomatic engagement and continued support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy emphasized the value of continued cooperation, particularly on reinforcing Ukraine’s air defenses and sustaining Western support amid ongoing hostilities. “Our previous meeting … helped strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well,” Zelenskyy said on social media, thanking Trump for prior security assistance and discussing additional needs.
Friday’s session will bring together U.S. envoys such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside counterparts from Ukraine and Russia, who are meeting in the United Arab Emirates to advance negotiations that include security guarantees and possible frameworks for cessation of hostilities. Despite continuing battlefield clashes, the talks represent the first trilateral engagement of its kind under the Trump administration and are seen as a significant diplomatic effort.
Analysts said the Davos unveiling of the Board of Peace — which Trump has described as a potential complement to existing international institutions — and the follow-on talks this week reflect a renewed U.S. push to shape peace processes directly. Critics have raised questions about the board’s scope and membership, but Trump’s supporters argue that unconventional diplomacy is necessary to break longstanding impasses.
Looking ahead, officials indicated that if Friday’s discussions yield consensus on key issues such as territorial arrangements and security guarantees, the next steps could include formalizing tentative agreements and coordinating with international partners to support implementation mechanisms. With the Ukraine war now in its fourth year, diplomats will continue urgent efforts to translate recent meetings into tangible progress toward a durable peace.
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By B. Wilder, Staff Reporter
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