New Round of Russia–Ukraine Talks in Abu Dhabi: Security Guarantees on the Agenda, European Representatives Not Taking Part
The first round since February: US mediation, Medinsky and Umerov. A US official says there is “flexibility” on the Donetsk region.
Abu Dhabi – A new round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US, with US mediation, begins on November 10 in Abu Dhabi. According to announcements, they last until November 11, and security guarantees are on the agenda.
The Russian delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who arrived on Monday. The Ukrainian one is led by Rustem Umerov. From the US, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to take part, according to a senior US official.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the talks will focus on security guarantees and that European representatives will not take part, because a trilateral format was agreed. The German government, however, said that the national security advisers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom will join the talks this week.
A US official stated that Russia and Ukraine have privately shown some “flexibility” on the future of the Donetsk region, but that their public positions remain unchanged.
The previous rounds were held on January 23 and 24 and on February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi, and on February 17 and 18 in Geneva. By the editorial calculation, almost nine months have passed since the last round. The last trilateral talks preceded the war of the US and Israel against Iran.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants the talks to bring concrete decisions on security and peace and that European countries should be involved in the security guarantees. About two weeks before the announcement, Putin met Witkoff in St Petersburg and agreed that the trilateral talks should resume.
Separately, the US plans preparatory meetings in Brussels with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the EU and NATO on security guarantees, on Europe’s future security framework and on economic support for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The day before the talks, Russia and Ukraine accused each other of overnight air strikes, in which one person was killed and seven were injured.
The host is the United Arab Emirates, which has previously mediated prisoner exchanges. On October 23 it announced an exchange of 540 prisoners, 270 from each side.
What was not announced: concrete proposals on the table, and whether joint statements will appear at the end of the talks. Major disagreements remain over territory and long-term security guarantees, and the talks themselves do not mean that a ceasefire or a peace deal is near.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · November 10, 2026
