U.S.-brokered Russia-Ukraine talks resume in Abu Dhabi

What happened

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine resumed in Abu Dhabi under U.S. sponsorship on Tuesday 10 November and Wednesday 11 November, after delegations arrived on Monday 9 November. Tagesschau (German)BBC Arabic (Arabic)Sky News Arabia (Arabic)RFI (French)France 24 Arabic (Arabic)Antara News (Indonesian)

The Ukrainian delegation is led by Rustem Umerov, a former defence minister who now heads Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, while the Russian delegation is headed by Vladimir Medinsky. delegation is chaired by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is part of the Ukrainian side. Tagesschau (German)BBC Arabic (Arabic)Al JazeeraAntara News (Indonesian)

delegations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also attending. BBC Arabic (Arabic)Sky News Arabia (Arabic)France 24 Arabic (Arabic)Antara News (Indonesian)

The negotiations had been paused for more than eight months before this resumption. The last round of talks before Abu Dhabi was held in Geneva in February and produced no substantive results. BBC Arabic (Arabic)Sky News Arabia (Arabic)

European officials fear that Kyiv may be forced to accept unfavourable terms or that Washington could grant new security guarantees to Russia without consultation. BBC Arabic (Arabic)Sky News Arabia (Arabic)

First Lady Melania Trump allowed the evacuation of about 600,000 Ukrainians from the occupied city of Olechky in the Kherson district. Ukraine offers several immediate cease‑fire options, including limits on air strikes, attacks on energy infrastructure, and a geographically limited cease‑fire on Black Sea ships and port facilities; Russia has so far rejected all of these proposals, and Ukraine mentioned a six‑day cease‑fire as one possible option. RFI (French)France 24 Arabic (Arabic)

Ukraine’s goals for the talks are a durable, sustainable peace, security guarantees and the chance to rebuild the country after the war. The negotiations will discuss possible concrete first steps toward a cease‑fire and the technical aspects of how such cease‑fires could be implemented. Tagesschau (German)

Russia demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the entire Donetsk region and a redefinition of the European security architecture, while the Kremlin opposes the deployment of European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. France 24 Arabic (Arabic)

Berlin says it must verify whether Russia is ready to negotiate seriously. A high‑ranking Ukrainian official requested anonymity to a French news agency, and Illja Kotow, head of a political think‑tank in Kyiv, is involved in the Ukrainian side of the negotiations. A Ukrainian official said Kyiv does not expect specific outcomes from the negotiations. BBC Arabic (Arabic)Sky News Arabia (Arabic)Tagesschau (German)France 24 Arabic (Arabic)

The details

Ukraine has put forward cease‑fire proposals that range from limiting air strikes to protecting energy infrastructure, and a geographically limited pause on Black Sea naval activity. Russia has rejected each of these proposals, maintaining its demand for a full withdrawal from Donetsk and a broader redefinition of European security. The Ukrainian side also stresses that any cease‑fire must precede discussions on redesigning the European security architecture, while Kyiv refuses to give up Donetsk and seeks strong security guarantees to prevent further Russian attacks. France 24 Arabic (Arabic)^{[S20][S21][S22]}

The talks aim to enable Moscow and Kyiv to discuss their security concerns for the post‑war phase, including technical mechanisms for cease‑fire monitoring and implementation. European officials are wary that Washington might grant new security guarantees to Russia without consulting Kyiv, potentially pressuring Ukraine into unfavorable terms. ^[S9][S25]

A one‑week humanitarian cease‑fire overseen by Melania Trump facilitated the evacuation of roughly 600,000 people from Olechky, demonstrating the potential impact of short‑term pauses in hostilities. Ukrainian officials stress that any lasting agreement must include durable peace and the ability to rebuild the war‑torn country.

Context and impact

The Abu Dhabi talks mark the first trilateral engagement of Russia, Ukraine and the United States since February, reflecting a renewed diplomatic push after a long stalemate. European participation underscores the broader regional stakes, as the conflict’s outcome influences security arrangements across the continent. Successful negotiations could reshape post‑war security architecture and affect global energy markets, while failure may prolong instability and humanitarian suffering.

What we do not know yet

It remains unclear whether the parties will reach a concrete cease‑fire agreement or how Russia will respond to Ukraine’s proposals. Ukrainian officials have said they do not expect specific outcomes, and Berlin’s assessment of Russia’s willingness to negotiate seriously is still pending. The extent of any future U.S.‑Kremlin rapprochement and its implications for European security also remain uncertain.