U.S., Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are due to meet in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10–11, with postwar security guarantees expected to be a central issue. The Associated Press reports that both Moscow and Kyiv say the talks will address guarantees, while the parties remain far apart on territory, Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO and the terms of any ceasefire.

What is on the Abu Dhabi talks agenda

The two-day session is expected to bring together Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. representatives for the first trilateral round since February, according to the AP. The immediate agenda includes security arrangements for Ukraine after a potential settlement, as well as broader assurances sought by Russia. The Kremlin has argued that any agreement must also address its own security concerns.

Ukraine has said a ceasefire should come before a wider political settlement and rejects giving up territory that Russia has not captured. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described dependable postwar guarantees as essential to deterring another invasion. Moscow, meanwhile, has demanded that Ukraine abandon its NATO membership bid and accept limits on its military. Those positions leave the central questions unresolved before the delegations arrive.

Why security guarantees are difficult to settle

Kyiv’s concern is how outside partners would respond if Russia attacked again; Zelenskyy has said the guarantees need to spell out who would act and how. Some European governments have discussed possible troop deployments after a peace deal, an idea Russia has rejected. The details matter because a pledge to consult or provide support can carry different obligations from a commitment to defend Ukraine directly.

Reuters reported last week that the Kremlin confirmed the Nov. 10–11 trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, with Vladimir Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky leading Russia’s delegation. Ukraine’s presidential office said on Nov. 4 that preparations were underway and that Zelenskyy had discussed the meeting and security priorities with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

The meeting begins amid continued fighting and long-range attacks, according to the AP. The sides have also set out sharply different conditions for ending the war, so the scheduled talks mark a diplomatic step rather than evidence that a ceasefire or settlement is close. Any concrete agreement will depend on whether negotiators can bridge those differences and define enforceable guarantees.

Sources

Associated Press: US-led peace talks for Russia and Ukraine will look at security guarantees for both sides; Reuters: Kremlin confirms trilateral Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi; Office of the President of Ukraine: Zelenskyy discusses preparations for Abu Dhabi format.