Zelenskyy Says Russia Signals Intent for November Talks in Abu Dhabi

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 28 October that there are indications Russia is serious about holding a meeting of negotiating teams in Abu Dhabi in November. Zelenskyy made the remarks during a press briefing, noting that European leaders had recently spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin to prepare for the upcoming discussions.

The Ukrainian president explained that his partners conveyed a common position to Putin on the morning of 27 October. According to Zelenskyy, the goal was to ensure Russia understood the topics for the planned trilateral meeting. The technical groups are expected to gather in early November, a date Zelenskyy said depends on the American side.

Zelenskyy outlined the agenda for the talks, which includes initial de-escalation steps and security priorities for Ukraine. The specific issues under discussion involve de-escalation measures regarding energy infrastructure and maritime operations. The teams will also work on the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of those detained to their home countries.

The president added that the negotiations will cover the format for a future trilateral meeting at the leadership level. Zelenskyy described this agenda as the position from the Ukrainian side, which was discussed with American partners. He emphasized that ending the war remains the overarching objective of these technical preparations.

Security guarantees remain a central point of contention in the diplomatic efforts. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has requested security assurances from the United States and Europe. Russia has raised the same issue, stating that it also requires security guarantees. Zelenskyy described this mutual demand as the current state of knowledge on the matter.

The diplomatic push follows a phone call between Putin and Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Zelenskyy observed that Putin spent nearly the entire conversation discussing the initial reasons for the conflict rather than focusing on methods to end the war. The European leaders used the call to convey the common position before meeting with the Ukrainian president.

Zelenskyy confirmed that the briefing in Oslo covered the topics for the future Abu Dhabi meeting. He indicated that the partners wanted to align with him before engaging further with the Russian leader. The process aims to establish a framework for de-escalation before any high-level summits occur.