Ukraine Seeks to Advance Abu Dhabi Talks to November 3

Ukraine is attempting to accelerate the schedule for the next round of trilateral talks with the United States and Russia. The new meeting, originally planned for after the US congressional midterm elections, is tentatively set for November 10. Kyiv and Washington are jointly urging Moscow to agree to an earlier start, potentially moving the talks up by at least one week. As of the evening of October 25, Russian officials had not provided final confirmation of any date change.

Timing is a primary concern for the Ukrainian delegation. A source in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team stated that every week in December will be critical due to the winter conditions. The source noted, "When you have no power, water or heating, every single day plays a role." Another official in the President's Office said Moscow still believes it can break Ukraine this winter.

Kyiv is also working to secure a seat at the table for a European Union representative. A source close to the negotiating team said Russia does not want Europeans present for the initial session. The Ukrainian team plans to brief EU envoys in real time during the Abu Dhabi meetings. Björn Seibert, the head of cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has emerged as a key EU figure in recent discussions.

Ukrainian officials do not expect a breakthrough at the first meeting. A member of Zelenskyy's team indicated that substantive agreements will require several rounds of negotiation. If the delegation composition changes, the first meeting will allow new members to familiarize themselves with the process. Serious work is expected to begin at the second meeting, with potential decisions around the third.

The starting point of the discussions is also shifting. Instead of debating specific territorial changes, Kyiv proposes defining the shape of peace after the war ends. This includes the future of the region, Ukraine's protection, and cooperation with NATO. A source noted that trust in Donald Trump in Ukraine is only 6% higher than trust in Vladimir Putin, meaning residents will not act solely on US assurances.

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff reportedly passed the idea of a new security model to Vladimir Putin, who allegedly agreed to discuss it. Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, told US officials that any final settlement must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro. US sources indicate the next round could be held in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, stated Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations after November 4. Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine will not accept limits on its armed forces size or a neutral status as part of any peace deal.