Ukraine seeks to start war talks before winter deepens
Kyiv is pressing Moscow to move Abu Dhabi negotiations forward by a week and wants an EU official at the table, citing urgent infrastructure needs.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Ukraine is asking Russia to begin trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi a week earlier than planned.
The new round of negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia was originally scheduled to start on November 10, following the US midterm elections. Kyiv and Washington are now working to convince the Russian side to meet as early as November 3. As of the evening of October 25, Moscow had not yet confirmed a change to the date.
A source within President Zelenskyy's team explained the urgency by pointing to the approaching winter. The official noted that when families lack power, water, or heating, every day counts. The Ukrainian side believes that if the talks do not start soon, the Russian delegation may try to use the cold season to pressure Kyiv. A source from the President's Office added that Russia still believes it can break Ukraine during the winter months.
Kyiv is also pushing to include a representative from the European Union in the discussions. Russian officials have opposed seating Europeans at the table for the first meeting. However, the Ukrainian team plans to bring an EU representative to Abu Dhabi to receive real-time briefings. The likely candidate is Bjorn Seibert, the head of cabinet for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. A source close to the negotiation team noted that European envoys currently lack a formal mandate to make decisions. They can only observe and signal, rather than vote on terms.
Negotiators do not expect a breakthrough at the first session. A member of Zelenskyy's team who has participated in previous rounds said that the initial meeting will allow new delegations to get acquainted. Substantive work is expected to begin at the second round. Real decisions might emerge around the third meeting.
The Ukrainian side proposes a specific approach to the agenda. Instead of debating which specific villages change hands, negotiators will ask what peace will look like after the war ends. A source close to the team stated that Ukraine needs to present a clear picture of its security, including cooperation with NATO. This approach reflects public sentiment, as trust in Donald Trump is only 6% higher than trust in Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People faction, told American counterparts that the final deal must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro.
US government sources indicate the next talks could also take place in Switzerland. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, said Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations after November 4. Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine will not accept limits on its army size or a neutral status in any peace deal.
