Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there is currently a “window of opportunity” to achieve a result in negotiations with Russia before 2027. He said this in Dublin, where he is taking part in meetings with European partners.
“Today, this opportunity really exists; this is a window of opportunity in which all participants in the negotiation process want to achieve a result before 2027,” Zelensky said, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. According to him, the timeframe is linked to expected changes in Europe’s political landscape and changes already taking place in the United States.
Hope for an agreement, but also skepticism
Zelensky said there is hope of reaching an agreement with Russia by the end of 2026, but he did not present this as a certain outcome. “I am not very convinced—allow me to be skeptical. But there is still hope,” the Ukrainian president said, according to APA.
He linked the possibility of progress to planned talks between US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their meeting is scheduled for November 12, after which Zelensky expects to speak with the American delegation in Dublin.
On November 10 and 11, talks were held in Abu Dhabi with the participation of representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States, as well as meetings with European representatives. According to Zelensky, the discussions covered a ceasefire, energy, maritime security and critical infrastructure. He said the Russian side had indicated that it lacked a mandate to respond on some of these issues, but that the American side would put the questions to the Russian leadership.
Lithuania to send energy equipment
In Dublin, Zelensky also met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Following the talks, the Ukrainian president announced that Lithuania would provide some of the equipment needed for Ukraine’s energy system.
According to him, the situation is difficult in many Ukrainian cities, while the authorities expect new Russian attacks on energy facilities. The type, quantity and delivery timeframe of the equipment have not been publicly specified.
Zelensky and Nausėda also discussed Ukraine’s European integration. Kyiv aims to open all negotiating clusters for EU membership by the end of 2026, so that during Lithuania’s presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2027, it can begin closing individual negotiating chapters.
The Ukrainian president also said that an agreement on a major prisoner-of-war exchange had been reached in Abu Dhabi. No specific timeframe or number of participants in the exchange has been announced.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, ru.interfax.com.ua, ru.apa.az