Zelenskyy names November 10 as likely date for trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi

In an interview with the British newspaper The Sun, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy named November 10 as a likely date for trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia on ending the war. According to the head of state, the summit was originally planned for the end of next month, but the timeline could be moved up. Zelenskyy emphasized that Kyiv is interested in starting a dialogue as soon as possible and even proposed holding a round this coming Sunday, but the Ukrainian side deemed it appropriate to wait for the completion of the U.S. vote.

Location and format: Abu Dhabi led by the American delegation

The summit is expected to be held in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and will be led by the American delegation. According to Ukrainian sources, these will be the first in-person consultations between the parties since U.S. President Donald Trump decided to ease some sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine would like to hold a separate meeting with the American and Russian teams in Abu Dhabi before the start of joint talks involving the U.S., China, and Russia.

European diplomacy and discrepancy in dates

On October 27, the leaders of Finland and Norway — Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Støre — held phone conversations with the Russian leadership, calling for an end to the war in Ukraine. Prior to this, they held consultations with the Ukrainian side to convey its position on the upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk previously reported that the trilateral talks would preliminarily take place on November 4 in the UAE, which contradicts the date mentioned by Zelenskyy.

Context and expectations

Against the backdrop of intensified European diplomacy and the softening of sanctions pressure from the U.S., a window is opening for the first direct contacts between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow. The final date and format of the meeting, according to the parties, may be adjusted depending on the completion of the electoral process in the U.S. and the readiness of the delegations. The Ukrainian side, as follows from Zelenskyy's statement, advocates for the fastest possible resumption of dialogue.