Ukraine Pushes to Move Abu Dhabi Peace Talks Up a Week

Ukrainian officials are working to shift the start date of the next trilateral peace talks forward by one week. The new round of negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia is currently scheduled to begin on November 10 in Abu Dhabi. Kyiv, in coordination with Washington, is attempting to persuade Moscow to agree to an earlier start date. As of the evening of October 25, final confirmation from the Russian side had not yet been received.

A source close to the negotiation team explained that every week in December is critical for Ukraine. The source noted that when citizens lack power, water, or heating, each day carries weight. The Ukrainian delegation also intends to include a European representative in the sessions, a move that faces resistance from Moscow. A source close to the team stated that the Russians do not want Europeans seated at the table for the first meeting. However, the Ukrainian team plans to bring them along and brief them in real time in Abu Dhabi.

The main obstacle to European participation is the absence of a designated representative with decision-making power. Current EU envoys operate in a signal-receiving mode without a mandate to make decisions. Over the last two meetings, a specific figure has emerged as the likely representative: Björn Seibert, the Head of Cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ukrainian sources indicate that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff conveyed to Vladimir Putin the idea of discussing a new security model. Putin allegedly agreed to the concept.

Kyiv does not anticipate a breakthrough during the first meeting. Officials expect that substantive agreements will require at least several rounds of discussions. A member of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s team who has participated in previous negotiations predicted that the delegations will likely change composition. The first meeting will serve as an introduction for the new groups. Substantive work is expected to begin at the second meeting, with potential real decisions emerging by the third.

The Ukrainian strategy focuses on defining the post-war structure rather than immediately assigning specific villages. A source from the President’s Office added that Russia still believes it can break Ukraine during the winter. The Ukrainian side proposes asking what peace will look like after the war ends, rather than starting with territorial disputes. They aim to present a picture of how Ukraine will be protected and how cooperation with NATO will function.

Trust in US leadership remains a factor in the negotiation dynamics. A source close to the team cited data showing that trust in Donald Trump in Ukraine is only 6% higher than trust in Vladimir Putin. This statistic suggests that Ukrainians are not relying solely on American assurances. The team emphasizes the need to outline how the region will look, including security guarantees and international cooperation.

Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, communicated a specific criterion to American counterparts. He stated that the final peace configuration must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro. Arakhamiia argued that these regions are next in line after Donbas. If residents of these areas accept the peace formula, it will represent genuine progress. The Ukrainian side has persistently sought to involve European partners, despite opposition from both Russia and the United States.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, claimed that Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations after November 4. US government sources previously indicated that the talks could take place in either Abu Dhabi or Switzerland. Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine will not accept limits on the size of its armed forces or neutral status in any potential deal.