Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi ended their first day without a publicly announced agreement on a ceasefire or a breakthrough on the most contentious issues. The discussions in the United Arab Emirates lasted more than four hours and are due to resume on November 11.
This was the first trilateral meeting since February 2026. The United States was represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while the Ukrainian delegation was led by Rustem Umerov. The Russian group was headed by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky.
Humanitarian issues were at the center of the talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks had been “constructive and quite substantive.” According to him, possible humanitarian measures, the need for de-escalation, the exchange of prisoners of war, and the return of Ukrainian civilians and children held captive in Russia were discussed.
The Ukrainian side also raised the issue of long-term security guarantees. Kyiv insists that they should prevent the possibility of a new Russian attack if a political agreement is reached. According to Ukrainian officials, a possible exchange involving a large number of prisoners was discussed, but the specific parameters are yet to be determined.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as “very productive,” but warned that a resolution to the conflict is not close. “There is still a lot of work to do,” Rubio said, adding that he did not expect the war to end within the next 24 hours.
Moscow insists on a broader deal
Russia is focusing on the creation of a new European security architecture, which the Russian delegation says should be part of any future settlement. Moscow continues to insist on issues related to territory, Ukraine’s status and its possible membership in NATO.
The territorial issue remains the main obstacle. According to Reuters, Russian forces control around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, while Moscow has not publicly indicated any readiness to drop its demand that Kyiv hand over the entire Donbas. Ukraine rejects the possibility of surrendering territories it still controls and insists on an unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward broader negotiations.
Europe insists on taking part
Before the main meeting, the Ukrainian delegation held talks with representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, NATO and the European Union. European countries did not participate in the main trilateral format, but insist that they be included in discussions on the continent’s future security.
A joint European-American position backed the creation of a strong post-war security architecture, while at the same time emphasizing the need to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The second day of talks should show whether the parties will move from humanitarian issues to concrete commitments on ending hostilities and providing security guarantees.
Sources: lemonde.fr, apnews.com, kyivindependent.com