The Ukrainian negotiating delegation has left for Abu Dhabi to attend scheduled meetings, announced Rustem Umerov, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine and leader of the Ukrainian negotiating team. According to him, trilateral talks involving representatives of Ukraine, the US, and Russia are set to take place in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 10 and 11. RBC-Ukraine reported this citing a statement by Umerov, as well as Politico.
Meeting Format and Composition of Delegations
Umerov clarified that parallel to the trilateral track, representatives of European states—specifically the E4 nations (Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy), as well as delegates from NATO and the European Commission—will be present in Abu Dhabi on the same days. The Ukrainian side will hold separate coordination meetings with European partners. According to Politico, national security advisers from France, Germany, and Britain will join the process. The European team includes Björn Seibert, Head of Cabinet for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Anna-Maria Бура (Anna-Maria Бура), Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to European Council President António Costa. From NATO, according to an RBC-Ukraine source, Jeffrey van Leuven, Director of the Office of the Secretary General of the Alliance, will participate in the talks.
Europe's Role and Coordination Issues
The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service emphasized that it is fundamentally important for Ukraine to maintain close coordination with all key partners, ensure alignment of positions, and share a common understanding of further steps in the diplomatic process. “As defined by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we are doing everything to ensure Europe is a participant in the diplomatic process,” Umerov stated. At the same time, according to an EU official speaking on condition of anonymity, due to the delicate nature of the preparations, Europeans will not be directly inside the negotiating room. It is noted that European countries do not yet have a unified position regarding the level at which Europe should be represented at the talks in Abu Dhabi.
Kyiv's Goals and Preparatory Work
Umerov named achieving peace, securing security guarantees, and creating opportunities for the country's post-war reconstruction as Ukraine's main goals at the talks. He separately noted the active role and preparatory work of US President Donald Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Ukrainian side also expressed gratitude to the UAE authorities for providing a venue for the talks and for their unwavering support.
