Ukraine demands earlier Abu Dhabi summit and EU presence at negotiating table

Ukraine is urging the United States and Russia to accelerate a planned round of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi by at least one week. While the talks were tentatively scheduled to begin on 10 November, following the US midterm elections, Kyiv and Washington are jointly pressing Moscow to agree to an earlier date. As of the evening of 25 October, the Russian side had not provided final confirmation for a schedule change.

The push for speed is driven by immediate domestic pressures in Ukraine. A source within President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s team emphasized that the coming winter will be a critical period for infrastructure. “In December, every week will be important. When you have no power, water or heating, every single day plays a role,” the source stated. Another official from the President’s Office noted that Russian negotiators still operate under the assumption that they can break Ukraine’s resolve during the winter months.

Ukrainian officials do not anticipate a breakthrough during the initial session. A team member involved in previous rounds indicated that substantive agreements will require multiple meetings. If delegation compositions change, the first gathering would serve to familiarize new members with one another. Serious negotiations would likely commence at the second meeting, with concrete decisions potentially emerging by the third round.

The role of Europe in the talks remains a point of contention. Moscow prefers to exclude European representatives from the first meeting, but Kyiv plans to include them and brief them in real time in Abu Dhabi. A source close to the Ukrainian team noted that Europe currently lacks a designated representative with a decision-making mandate. However, Björn Seibert, head of cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has emerged as a key EU figure in recent contacts.

Kyiv also intends to alter the strategic focus of the discussions. Instead of debating territorial details, Ukraine proposes defining the overall shape of post-war peace first. This framework would address regional stability, Ukraine’s security guarantees, and the nature of cooperation with NATO. A source pointed out that trust in US President Donald Trump among Ukrainians is only 6% higher than trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin, meaning assurances alone will not drive decisions.

Negotiators from the US, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, reportedly conveyed to Putin the idea of discussing a new security model, which he allegedly accepted. Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, told American counterparts that any final settlement must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro, who he said would be next if the conflict expands beyond Donbas.

Logistical details remain in flux. US government sources indicated the next round could take place in either Abu Dhabi or Switzerland. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, stated that Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations after 4 November. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has maintained that Ukraine will not accept limits on its Armed Forces size or a neutral status as part of any peace agreement.