Abu Dhabi, 10–11 November: first Ukraine–Russia working-level talks in months

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Ukraine, the United States and Russia are preparing working-level trilateral talks within a week, following an approximately 90-minute conversation with US President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Witkoff, described as US Special Presidential Envoy, separately announced that the United States will mediate working-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi. The agenda he set out covers post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace.

If the session proceeds, it would be the first working-level trilateral format involving the three countries in this diplomatic push — a shift from bilateral consultations to a structured negotiation.

A parallel track runs through Brussels. Witkoff said US negotiators will meet this week with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the EU, and NATO, with discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe's post-war security architecture, and economic opportunities to support Ukraine's reconstruction.

Zelenskyy highlighted a Brussels meeting on Ukraine's postwar recovery involving Ukraine, the US, the EU, France, the UK, Germany, NATO, the World Bank and the global business community. He said another Brussels meeting on security guarantees for Ukraine was scheduled for Friday.

Witkoff said the talks build on progress made in Kyiv, Oslo, and St. Petersburg toward what he called a comprehensive, durable peace agreement.

The Brussels consultations signal that European and NATO allies are being folded in on security guarantees and reconstruction before team-level talks begin — but how those consultations feed into the Abu Dhabi agenda has not been described.

The date and venue are now on the record.