On November 10, a new round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia regarding the settlement of the conflict began in Abu Dhabi. According to an RBC-Ukraine source, the parties announced a short technical break during the meeting, after which consultations will continue in a slightly expanded format. On the negotiating table, according to him, are two key issues: security guarantees for Ukraine and what will happen after the end of the war.
Two issues defining the agenda
As the source noted, the security architecture and the "post-war" scenario have become central themes of the current round. The Ukrainian delegation, he said, insists on a clear sequence: first, there must be an end to the war in Ukraine, and only then, over time, the formation of the future security architecture of Europe. European participants, according to the interlocutor, share this position, and it is precisely this order that is currently being discussed in the negotiation room.
Format: Consultations with Europeans first, then the trilateral meeting
Before the start of the trilateral round, the Ukrainian delegation held a separate meeting with representatives of European countries, the EU, NATO, and American envoys. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that during these consultations, the parties discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the future security architecture of Europe. According to 5-tv.ru, this is the first round of negotiations in a trilateral format in nearly nine months; the Russian delegation is led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, with Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Galuzin and Sergey Ryabkov, as well as General Staff representatives Igor Kostyukov and Yuri Zhigarlovsky, among its members.
Kyiv's priorities and Zelensky's position
Head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov previously outlined Kyiv's key priorities: an end to hostilities, reliable security guarantees, economic recovery, and humanitarian issues. Parallel to the negotiations in Abu Dhabi, President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and announced that he expects a detailed briefing from the Ukrainian negotiating team on the progress of the conversation with the Russian side. Previously, Zelensky had also stated that Ukraine would like the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi to take place before any potential meeting at the level of leaders from the US, China, and Russia, expressing concern over a "re-division of spheres of influence" scenario, similar to the Yalta Conference.
What comes next
It is expected that the negotiations in Abu Dhabi will continue on November 11 as well. The parties intend to discuss the prospects for ending hostilities, security guarantees, and possible mechanisms to prevent new conflicts. The outcomes of the expanded format meeting, as well as whether the parties manage to agree on the sequence for addressing the two key issues, will be the main guide for the future dynamics of the settlement.
