Ukraine war breakthrough as Kyiv and Moscow prepare for major first today

US, Ukrainian and Russian officials are to meet today (Image: Getty)

Ukrainian officials are to join their Russian and US counterparts for a trilateral meeting in the United Arab Emirates today. This is believed to be the first time Ukrainian and Russian diplomats sit at the same negotiating table with US officials to discuss a possible end of the war since Vladimir Putin ordered the illegal invasion of Ukraine. 

Moscow confirmed Russian officials would be present following a meeting between Putin and US representatives, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the talks after his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Zelensky met with Trump yesterday. (Image: Getty)

The Ukrainian president suggested they were a "surprise" organised by the American contingent. He said: "I hope that the Emirates know about it. Yes. Sometimes we have such surprises from our American side."

"My team spend a lot of time with Americans, and even I wanted to ask president Trump to give them American passports because I think that they really spend a lot of time [there].

"I think that the meeting is very important, we need a boat, I hope this is the boat, this is the ship to peace."

Mr Zelensky told reporters in Davos yesterday that the sticking point in the protracted peace talks is the future of eastern Ukraine.

He said: "The Russians have to be ready for compromises, not only Ukraine... It's all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet."