Ukraine-Russia Talks: Kyiv Seeks November 3 Start

Ukraine and the United States are working to shift the upcoming trilateral negotiations with Russia to November 3, a date one week earlier than the current target. The talks, scheduled for Abu Dhabi, were originally set to begin on November 10, following the US congressional midterm elections. Kyiv and Washington are now attempting to convince Moscow to agree to the accelerated timeline.

An official close to the Ukrainian negotiation team stated that the Russian side does not wish to seat European representatives at the table during the initial meeting. However, the Ukrainian team intends to bring them along to provide real-time briefings in Abu Dhabi. The European partners currently lack a designated representative with a mandate to make decisions, meaning their envoys operate primarily in a signal-receiving capacity.

Time is a critical factor for the Ukrainian side. A member of President Zelenskyy’s team noted that every week in December is important, as daily conditions directly affect the population’s access to power, water, and heating. As of the evening of October 25, final confirmation from Moscow regarding the date change had not been received. Russian aide Yuri Ushakov indicated that Russia is ready to resume talks after November 4.

Kyiv does not anticipate a breakthrough at the first meeting. A source in the President’s Office explained that substantive agreements will require at least several rounds of dialogue. The initial session will allow new delegations to acclimate to one another, while substantive work is expected to begin at the second meeting. Real decisions may emerge by the third session. The Russians still believe they can break Ukraine’s resolve during the winter, according to a source from the President’s Office.

The Ukrainian side is also pushing to involve European partners in the process, despite opposition from Russia and occasionally the United States. Sources indicate that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff conveyed to Vladimir Putin the idea of discussing a new security model, which Putin allegedly accepted. Bjorn Seibert, the head of cabinet for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has emerged as the likely EU representative over the last two meetings.

Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, told American officials that the final peace configuration must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro. He argued that if the people in these regions view the proposed formula as suitable, it would represent meaningful progress. The Ukrainian delegation proposes focusing on the broader picture of post-war peace and security rather than immediately debating specific territorial transfers.

A source close to the negotiation team emphasized the need to define how Ukraine will be protected and how cooperation with NATO will function. Trust in President Trump in Ukraine is only 6% higher than trust in Putin, according to that source. This margin suggests that assurances from the US alone will not be sufficient to secure a lasting agreement.