Russia and Ukraine have confirmed plans to resume trilateral negotiations with the United States during the first half of November, following diplomatic meetings involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to resume U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November, marking a renewed diplomatic effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to end the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday, Oct. 23, that representatives from Moscow, Kyiv and Washington are scheduled to meet in the United Arab Emirates to discuss a possible settlement, including security arrangements for both countries after the conflict ends.
“The negotiations are scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi,” Peskov told reporters, according to Anadolu Agency.
The announcement followed a three-hour meeting Wednesday between Putin and Witkoff at Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, where the Russian president expressed his willingness to restart negotiations.
Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin agreed in principle to return to the trilateral format, with discussions tentatively expected around Nov. 10.
“Our president informed Steve Witkoff that we are, in principle, prepared to resume the aforementioned trilateral negotiations around the 10th of November,” Ushakov said.
The discussions are expected to take place at the technical level, involving negotiating teams rather than the countries’ presidents.
Peskov said the initial meetings would address the security arrangements necessary for a lasting peace settlement, a central issue in previous negotiations.
He emphasized that Moscow considers an agreement on the security requirements of both countries essential to ending the war.
Asked whether European nations could eventually participate in the negotiations, Peskov said “nothing can be ruled out.”
However, he reiterated that the upcoming meetings would initially involve only Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
“However, the negotiations we are discussing – scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi – will take place in a trilateral format,” Peskov said.
Zelenskyy separately confirmed Friday that Ukraine had agreed to participate following discussions with Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
According to Reuters, the Ukrainian president said negotiating teams from all three countries would meet during the first half of November and expressed hope that the talks would eventually lead to a meeting between national leaders.
“We are ready to meet any day – even tomorrow,” Zelenskyy said during an appearance at the Hudson Institute.
He argued that technical negotiations should serve as preparation for higher-level discussions because the most consequential decisions would ultimately require agreement between the countries’ leaders.
The diplomatic breakthrough follows a series of meetings conducted by Trump’s special envoys in Europe and Russia.
On Tuesday, Witkoff and Kushner participated in discussions with Zelenskyy and European representatives in Oslo, Norway, before traveling to St. Petersburg for talks with Putin the following day.
According to Axios, American officials presented Putin with updated proposals outlining possible approaches to ending the conflict.
“We have brought several documents outlining approaches to achieving a peaceful settlement in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. I would ask you, Mr. President, to review these documents a little later,” Witkoff said during the meeting.
Ushakov subsequently confirmed that Moscow was prepared to resume negotiations, although he indicated that Russia remained dissatisfied with aspects of the proposals discussed in Oslo.
The renewed negotiations follow three earlier rounds of U.S.-mediated talks held in January and February 2026.
The first two meetings took place in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23-24 and Feb. 4-5, while a third round was conducted in Geneva on Feb. 17-18.
Those discussions failed to produce a comprehensive agreement, with major differences remaining over territorial control, security guarantees and the conditions for ending military operations.
Russia continues to demand recognition of its claims to Ukrainian territories, including Crimea and four regions it declared annexed in 2022.
Ukraine has rejected recognition of Russian sovereignty over occupied territory and insists that any settlement must include enforceable security guarantees against another invasion.
According to the Associated Press, Ukraine remains concerned that a settlement without sufficient international protections could leave it vulnerable to renewed Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy has called for long-term military support, including funding to sustain Ukraine’s armed forces for at least 10 years.
Kyiv has also indicated a willingness to consider a comprehensive ceasefire or more limited agreements covering energy infrastructure and maritime operations.
Russia, meanwhile, has emphasized negotiating the terms of a permanent settlement rather than agreeing to a short-term suspension of fighting.
Despite the diplomatic progress, hostilities have continued, with Russian missile and drone attacks striking Ukrainian cities and infrastructure even as the governments discuss returning to negotiations.
Zelenskyy has also criticized restrictions on military communications systems and delays in the delivery of air defense interceptors, arguing that Ukraine needs continued military support while diplomacy proceeds.
The Ukrainian president has called for European participation in discussions affecting the continent’s security, although Moscow has indicated that the initial Abu Dhabi meetings will remain trilateral.
The latest developments come as the Trump administration pursues diplomatic initiatives involving multiple international conflicts.
Putin also reportedly offered during Wednesday’s meeting to assist American diplomatic efforts concerning Iran, citing Russia’s longstanding relationship with Tehran.
The Russian government separately released American citizen Stephen Hubbard, who had been detained in Russia, during Witkoff’s visit.
While both Moscow and Kyiv have now publicly endorsed renewed negotiations, neither government has announced concessions on the principal issues dividing them.
The expected November meeting represents a return to formal U.S.-brokered discussions rather than an agreement to end the war.
With negotiators preparing to convene in Abu Dhabi, attention will turn to whether the three governments can establish a framework for addressing territorial disputes, postwar security arrangements and the conditions necessary for a lasting ceasefire.
Original article
Comments