--- title: "Kyiv and Moscow show private 'flexibility' on Donbas ahead of Abu Dhabi meeting" description: "On the eve of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, a US official told the BBC that Kyiv and Moscow have shown private flexibility regarding the control of eastern Ukrainian regions." date: 2026-11-10T03:00:48.382Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kyiv-moscow-flexibility-donbas-abu-dhabi tags: [ukraine-war, russia, abu-dhabi-talks, donbas, security-architecture, nato] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kyiv and Moscow show private 'flexibility' on Donbas ahead of Abu Dhabi meeting ![Ukrainian soldier firing a machine gun from a combat position at the front](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/10/kiev-i-moskva-gibkost-po-donbassu-perevody-v-abu-dabi/kiev-i-moskva-gibkost-po-donbassu-perevody-v-abu-dabi-1.webp) ## Key Points - Ahead of the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi (November 10-11), a US official told the BBC about "some flexibility" from Kyiv and Moscow in private regarding control of eastern regions. - The Donetsk region remains the key point of contention: Moscow demands Ukraine abandon the territory it still holds, while Kyiv insists on freezing the frontline. - The parties link the resolution of the territorial issue to a new "security architecture," and the US proposes moving to a multilateral format with European participation. Amid preparations for the first trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US, and Russia since February, scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, assessments suggesting a potential shift in the parties' positions have emerged in the public sphere. According to the BBC, US officials speaking to journalists on the eve of the meeting indicated that Kyiv and Moscow are demonstrating "some flexibility" in private regarding who will control Ukraine's eastern regions in a post-war scenario. However, the public statements from both capitals remain rigid, and the divergence in positions on ending the war persists. ### "Some flexibility" behind closed doors As the report notes, neither side has officially abandoned its demands, yet according to a US official, public rhetoric does not reflect the entire picture: in private, both sides have shown "some flexibility." This signal comes as the diplomatic track is effectively restarting after a long hiatus, with the Abu Dhabi meeting viewed as a test of how far participants are willing to go in a closed-door dialogue. ### Donbas as a key point of contention The central point of dispute remains the Donetsk region, most of which, according to the report, is currently controlled by Russian forces. Moscow is reportedly demanding that Ukraine abandon the remaining Donbas territory still held by Kyiv. In turn, the Ukrainian side insists on freezing the frontline to maintain control over areas it deems critical for the country's future security. It is this incompatibility of demands that makes the territorial issue the most complex element of the upcoming negotiations. ### Security architecture as a condition for resolution The US official acknowledged that the territorial problem cannot be resolved without discussing a new "security architecture." According to him, the parties will not be able to resolve the Donbas issue until it is clear what the post-war security order will be: "They won't resolve the Donetsk and territorial problems until they know what the security architecture is going to be after the war. And that implies that we won't be able to finish one without the other." For Ukraine, such an architecture might include guarantees of assistance from allies in the event of a new attack; for Russia, it involves the long-standing desire for NATO's withdrawal from Eastern Europe, which, as the BBC stresses, would alarm European capitals. Proposed mechanisms include security consultations, hotlines for crisis communication, and "mutual de-escalation measures." ### The role of Europe and a multilateral format The question of European participation in the negotiation process has also come to the fore. Officials discussed the possibility of resuming the work of the NATO-Russia Council, which has been largely suspended since 2022. Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for including NATO and EU allies in any meaningful discussions on Europe's security architecture, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also advocates for European participation. The US official told the BBC that the US will propose moving to a multilateral format involving Europeans, adding that "the Russians had a bad impression of the Europeans" while expressing hope that they could be brought to the table. ## Accounts differ ### Parties' positions on control over Donbas territory - **Russia (Moscow):** Demands that Ukraine abandon the remaining Donbas territory still held by Kyiv. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-ta-rosiya-viyavili-gnuchkist-pitanni-1794279232.html)) - **Ukraine (Kyiv):** Insists on freezing the frontline to maintain control over areas critical for the country's future security. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-ta-rosiya-viyavili-gnuchkist-pitanni-1794279232.html)) *Where they agree:* Publicly, neither side has abandoned its demands; according to the US official, in private, both sides have shown "some flexibility." ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Украина и Россия проявили "гибкость" в вопросе контроля территорий на востоке, - BBC](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-ta-rosiya-viyavili-gnuchkist-pitanni-1794279232.html) - The primary source (BBC) confirms the preparation for talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov 10-11 and the divergence in positions on Donbas; the thesis of "flexibility" in private is relayed with reference to an anonymous US official. ## FAQ ### When and where will the trilateral talks take place? Representatives of Ukraine, the US, and Russia plan to meet on November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi — the first trilateral talks on this track since February. ### What is the main disagreement between Kyiv and Moscow? The key point is the Donetsk region: according to the BBC, Moscow demands that Ukraine abandon the remaining part of Donbas, while Kyiv wants to freeze the frontline to retain control over strategically important areas. ### What is "security architecture" in the context of the talks? This refers to the post-war order of guarantees; without discussing this, the US official suggests the territorial issue cannot be resolved. For Ukraine, this could involve security guarantees from allies; for Russia, it implies NATO's withdrawal from Eastern Europe. Consultations, hotlines, and de-escalation measures are also being discussed.