American officials have shared Washington's expectations with journalists ahead of the trilateral Ukraine-US-Russia negotiations set for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi. According to Radio Liberty correspondent Alex Raufoglu, reported by RBC-Ukraine, sources in the White House and State Department speak of a “real chance” to achieve “serious progress” in ending the war. At the same time, Washington has explicitly stated that a final agreement is not expected at the end of the first round of meetings.
“Cautious Optimism” and Possible Further Contacts
US officials described their position as “cautiously optimistic.” According to American officials, in the event of positive momentum in Abu Dhabi, further meetings involving Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could take place in the near future — their format and timing, Washington emphasizes, will depend on the progress achieved during the first round.
What is Excluded from the First Round
Kyiv is approaching the initial meetings with restraint. David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People faction, stated that Ukraine does not expect a breakthrough during the first round of talks with the US and Russia, though certain hopes are pinned on the second round. It was specifically noted that the issue of a ceasefire will not be discussed at the November 10 meetings — it has been excluded from the initial agenda.
Security Guarantees as a Key Topic
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio named Ukraine's security guarantees as one of the central topics of the negotiation process. According to him, the issue of the future post-war security system for Ukraine and the entire European continent has been raised at every stage of the negotiations. Rubio also explained that the progress mentioned by US President Donald Trump is linked, among other things, to developing the post-war security architecture, while the primary task remains the cessation of hostilities — only after that can the parties move on to the next stages.
Parallel Contacts and Delegation Composition
US Presidential Special Envoy Jared Kushner reported that before the start of the peace talks in Abu Dhabi, Washington is convening a separate meeting with NATO partners, EU representatives, and Ukraine to discuss the post-war security architecture. According to Ukrainian media, the Ukrainian delegation at the trilateral talks will be led by Rustem Umerov; Kyiv emphasizes that they do not count on a breakthrough on the first day, but view Abu Dhabi as a platform to cement agreements on the next steps.
