Delegations from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are meeting in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, 2026.
These are the first direct trilateral talks between the three nations in over eight months. The diplomatic push in the capital of the United Arab Emirates attempts to restart negotiations on ending a war that began with the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
Previous trilateral meetings yielded little beyond humanitarian exchanges and the return of fallen soldiers’ bodies. The current round comes during intensifying strikes on energy infrastructure and record civilian casualties.
The current talks in Abu Dabi serve as a continuation of diplomatic efforts mediated by Washington. White House special emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner conducted previous visits to Kiev and Moscow.
Before arriving in the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. envoys held meetings to gauge the positions of the combatants. They coordinated the response regarding the reconstruction of Ukraine alongside international and European partners.
The Kremlin confirmed the new negotiating round through Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, advisor to President Vladimir Putin.
Medinsky’s team includes Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin. It also includes military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov and General Staff member Yuri Zhigarlovsky.
Rustem Umerov heads the delegation on the Ukrainian side. Umerov serves as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine and secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.
John Herbst noted that any expectations regarding the Abu Dhabi meetings should be kept very modest. Herbst is senior director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council and former United States Ambassador to Ukraine.
Russia vetoed direct European participation in the main trilateral table. This restriction limited European and NATO representatives to a parallel ring of consultations.
Before the trilateral sessions began, Ukrainian officials met in the United Arab Emirates with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO, and the European Commission. Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff represented the United States as mediators in preliminary talks with the European delegates.
Deep divisions persist over territory and post-war security arrangements. Kiev rejects ceding territories that Russian forces do not control.
Ukrainian leadership maintains that territorial concessions are non-negotiable. Zelenskyy recalled past disarmament agreements while addressing the issue.
Ceding Ukrainian territory in exchange for peace is just abstract wording. It is not just about reality, but even more about philosophy. Putin talked about Donbas, but then decided to occupy Kyiv, our capital. His words were about Donbas, but the reality was about Kyiv.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine
The negotiations unfold against a severe humanitarian backdrop. The delegations have scheduled follow-up discussions for Wednesday morning to address cessation of hostilities, security architecture, and humanitarian measures.
