Following a round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Berlin has raised the possibility of a telephone contact between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Die Zeit, this was stated by official German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius. He noted that the UAE talks achieved an understanding of the basic principles for future settlement, and these developments are now planned to be communicated to the Russian leadership so that further talks can develop on this basis.

“Understanding of Basic Principles”

“We have reached an understanding of the basic principles in Abu Dhabi. This understanding is now being conveyed to the Russian president as well, and conversations can develop on this basis,” Cornelius was quoted as saying by RBC-Ukraine. According to him, European countries together with the US and Ukraine have agreed on four principles for further negotiations to end the war. The key principle is sequence: peace in Ukraine must be agreed upon first, and only then should discussions on European and transatlantic security begin. Any agreement, the spokesman emphasized, is possible only with the consent of all NATO allies.

Kremlin Position and Readiness for Contacts

In turn, the Kremlin stated via TASS that Vladimir Putin is open to contacts with the European Union and personally with the German Chancellor. Merz himself previously stated that he would not refuse a meeting if Putin attends the G20 summit scheduled for December in Miami. Thus, both sides have publicly confirmed their readiness for dialogue, although the format and location of a potential contact remain uncertain for now.

Unresolved Issues and Russia's Position

Despite the stated understanding, the main issues of the settlement remain open. According to RBC-Ukraine sources, on the second day of negotiations, Russia refused to discuss a ceasefire, territorial issues, energy, and Black Sea security. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian side assessed the meeting's outcome as significant progress and allows for the possibility that important steps toward peace could be made before the end of the year.

Further Negotiation Track

According to available information, the next stage will be a trip by US Presidential Envoys Witkoff and Kushner: they are scheduled to meet first with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and then with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin. Zelenskyy himself called on European countries to decide on a representative for the negotiations by the end of November so that the European side could participate in the process on a coordinated basis.