Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he expects trilateral Ukraine Russia Abu Dhabi peace talks with Russia and the United States to take place between November 6 and 10, in what would be the first face-to-face meeting of the warring sides in the renewed United States-led diplomatic push to end the war.
Speaking at a press conference in The Hague on Wednesday alongside Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Zelensky said Kyiv wants the meeting held as soon as possible, but that Washington is yet to confirm a date. “We need to have this meeting till the end of (next) month, I hope… between Nov. 6 and 10,” he said, adding that the location could still change depending on the situation in the Middle East.
Zelensky said he expects the United States to confirm a date around November 4, a day after the US midterm elections. The Kremlin has also yet to confirm a timeline for the talks.
What the Abu Dhabi talks would cover
The summit would take place at the technical level, Zelensky said, but the hope is that it could pave the way for a later trilateral summit between Zelensky, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting follows a renewed American push to revive negotiations, which had effectively stalled. US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo before travelling to Saint Petersburg for talks with Putin, and Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov subsequently said another round of trilateral talks could take place around November 10 in Abu Dhabi.
Zelensky has said Ukraine would accept a deal freezing the war along the current front line, describing a ceasefire as the minimum requirement, with security guarantees to be discussed afterwards. Russia, meanwhile, continues to demand that Kyiv cede Donbas, the eastern region its forces have been unable to capture fully.
“We are ready to speak, we are ready for negotiations, any kind of format, we are even ready to speak about any kind of topics, sensitive topics for us,” Zelensky said. “It may not be fair even to discuss some topics, but we are ready, because I don’t want to show that we are stopping the negotiation process.”
Abu Dhabi, where the trilateral Ukraine-Russia talks are expected to take place in November. (File photo)
Europe’s role still disputed
Whether European countries will take part remains disputed. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the possible participation of European countries was not discussed during a 90-minute phone call on Tuesday between Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, and that European countries will not be included in the next round.
Stubb offered a different account, telling a meeting of the Nordic Council in Helsinki that European countries would be involved in November’s Abu Dhabi talks. Zelensky said Kyiv wanted Europe to be involved as well, adding that unity and stronger pressure on Russia were needed.
Dutch and British support packages announced
Zelensky’s announcement came during a visit to The Hague at which the Netherlands pledged a new military aid package worth 500 million euros (about $557 million) for Ukraine this winter, to buy drones and other material to strengthen its defences. The Dutch government also announced a non-military package worth 1.2 billion euros over the next three years for Ukraine’s economic recovery, and a contribution of 40 million euros by the end of this year to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
Separately, the United Kingdom announced its biggest-ever Ukraine support package, worth more than 10 billion pounds (about $13.3 billion) in 2027. Zelensky hailed it as “a truly strong and very timely step — coming right as Russia needs to see and feel that Ukraine will not be left alone.”
FAKTA
- What: Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States, expected in Abu Dhabi.
- When: Between November 6 and 10, according to President Zelensky; no firm date confirmed yet.
- Level: Technical-level talks, with hopes of a later Zelensky-Trump-Putin summit.
- Confirmation expected: Around November 4, after the US midterm elections, according to Zelensky.
- Key disagreement: Whether European countries will take part; the Kremlin says no, Finland’s president says yes.
- Context: Talks stalled since February 2026; renewed US mediation follows Witkoff’s meetings in Oslo and Saint Petersburg.
What happens next
All eyes will now be on Washington’s confirmation of a date after the November 3 midterm elections, and on whether the Kremlin confirms its participation on the same timeline. Until then, the talks remain expected rather than scheduled — a distinction Zelensky himself stressed in The Hague.
For more on the war and diplomacy in Europe, see Watan News Europe coverage.
