Extract from ABC News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hit out at European leaders, accusing them of looking "lost trying to convince the US president to change". (Reuters: Denis Balibouse)
In short:
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the US are set to meet in the United Arab Emirates on Friday for talks.
The Ukrainian president also delivered a major speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, delivering uncharacteristically critical comments towards Europe.
What's next?
The Kremlin is yet to comment on the Ukrainian president's announcement, and key details of the talks are yet to be confirmed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he expects trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia to take place in the United Arab Emirates this week.
Speaking to reporters at World Economic Forum in Davos, the Ukrainian president suggested discussions, aimed at ending Moscow's war on his country, would be held on Friday.
He did not elaborate on the format of the talks, or whether Ukrainian and Russian officials would negotiate directly.
"It will be the first trilateral meeting in the Emirates. It will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow," Mr Zelenskyy said on Thursday.
"Russians have to be ready for compromises," he added.
The Kremlin has yet to confirm whether Russia will take part.
During his speech at the Swiss ski resort gathering on Thursday, the Ukrainian president slammed Europe's lack of "political will" in countering Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a fiery address criticising some of Kyiv's top allies.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. (Ukranian Presidential Press Service)
The speech came minutes after Mr Zelenskyy had met with US President Donald Trump, a conversation which he said brought agreement about what post-war US security guarantees for Ukraine would look like.
Mr Zelenskyy did not say what the security guarantees included, only that they were "done" and were ready to be signed by the leaders and ratified by the Ukrainian parliament and US Congress.
Mr Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were due in Moscow for talks with Mr Putin on Thursday evening, local time.
Senior ADF figures have told the ABC they do not think Russia is serious about ending the war any time soon, and that Mr Putin believes he can outlast Ukraine and its allies.
Zelenskyy slams 'lost' Europe
During his Davos address, Mr Zelenskyy slammed what he cast as the the EU's inaction, drawing parallels with the cult film "Groundhog Day" to describe the slow progress on key areas of support for Kyiv.
The comments represented a marked departure from his usual warm rhetoric towards the bloc, whose member states are Ukraine's main financial and military backers.
Ukraine is struggling to halt Russia's advance, nearly four years since Moscow's full-scale invasion began. (Reuters: Serhii Korovainyi)
"What's missing: time or political will?" he said at one point, referencing delays over the establishment of a European war crimes tribunal on the Russian invasion.
He also said Europe, without mentioning any single country, was failing to agree on how to address global problems.
"There are endless internal arguments and things left unsaid that stop Europe from uniting and speaking honestly enough to find real solutions," Mr Zelenskyy told the forum.
"Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers,"he added.
He said Europe looked "lost" over how to deal with the challenge presented by Mr Trump.
"Europe looks lost trying to convince the US president to change. But he will not change. President Trump loves who he is, and he says he loves Europe, but he will not listen to this kind of Europe," he said.
Mr Trump had hailed a "good" meeting with Mr Zelenskyy in the Swiss ski resort,
"This war has to end," Mr Trump told reporters including AFP when asked what message he was sending to the Russian leader.
Mr Zelenskyy said the question of territory was the one outstanding issue in the talks to find an end to the war.
"It's all about the eastern part of our country. It's all about the land. This is the issue which we [have] not solved yet."
Russia, which occupies around 20 per cent of Ukraine, is pushing for full control of the country's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal -- but Kyiv has warned ceding ground will embolden Moscow.
AFP
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