Three-way negotiations could revive stalled diplomacy, but deep disagreements over territory, security and the shape of a final peace remain
Golden Page News 24 October 2026
ABU DHABI/MOSCOW/KYIV — Russia, Ukraine and the United States are preparing to return to the negotiating table in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November, in what could become a significant new attempt to revive diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin confirmed on Friday that the talks are planned to take place in a trilateral format, involving representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the discussions would focus particularly on security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine following a possible peace settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed that negotiators from the three countries had agreed to meet at a technical level in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November. He said Kyiv was ready to meet as soon as possible and hoped that negotiations between officials could eventually lead to a meeting between the countries’ leaders.
ANGLE ONE: A New Diplomatic Opening
The planned talks represent a potentially important diplomatic opening after previous negotiations failed to produce a comprehensive settlement.
The latest movement follows meetings involving US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo before travelling to St Petersburg for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Those contacts appear to have helped reopen a channel between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia has indicated that it is prepared to resume trilateral negotiations, with Russian officials previously suggesting a meeting around 10 November. Ukraine, meanwhile, has repeatedly called for negotiations to resume as quickly as possible.
The choice of Abu Dhabi is also significant. The United Arab Emirates has previously hosted Russia-Ukraine negotiations, making the Gulf state a familiar location for sensitive diplomatic contacts.
The talks could provide an opportunity to discuss issues that extend beyond an immediate ceasefire, including future security arrangements, prisoner exchanges, protection of critical infrastructure and possible mechanisms for a longer-term settlement.
There has already been evidence that communication between Moscow and Kyiv, although extremely difficult, remains possible. On Friday, Russia and Ukraine also exchanged 270 prisoners each, demonstrating that limited agreements can still be reached even while fighting continues.
For Ukraine, however, diplomacy will only be meaningful if it produces a settlement capable of providing lasting security.
Zelenskyy has said Ukraine would require strong security guarantees, including long-term support for maintaining its military, as part of any future peace arrangement.
ANGLE TWO: The Road to Peace Remains Extremely Difficult
The announcement should not be interpreted as evidence that a peace agreement is close. Previous rounds of negotiations have struggled over some of the most fundamental issues in the war, particularly territory, Ukraine’s future security arrangements and the question of guarantees against another Russian attack.
Russia has continued to press territorial demands, while Ukraine has rejected the idea of simply surrendering territory as the price for peace. President Putin has also made clear that Moscow does not view the objective of negotiations as merely establishing a short pause in the fighting.
According to reporting following his meeting with Witkoff, Putin has argued that the discussions should be directed towards a final settlement, rather than what he described as a temporary interruption of hostilities.
That position could create a significant obstacle. Kyiv has previously supported discussions on ceasefire arrangements, including narrower agreements concerning energy infrastructure and maritime activity, while insisting that the most politically sensitive territorial questions should ultimately be handled at the leadership level.
The two sides therefore enter the proposed negotiations with fundamentally different priorities.
The Security Question
Security is expected to be one of the central issues in Abu Dhabi. Moscow argues that a durable settlement must address Russia’s security concerns as well as Ukraine’s. Kyiv, on the other hand, is seeking guarantees strong enough to prevent the war from simply being postponed and then restarted.
This creates one of the most difficult questions facing negotiators:
What security system could protect Ukraine while also addressing Russia’s demands without forcing either side to accept terms it considers unacceptable?
Peskov has described security issues as an essential component of a comprehensive settlement. He also acknowledged that discussions about the wider architecture of European security would be difficult without European participation.
Although the initial meeting is expected to be trilateral, the Kremlin has indicated that European participation cannot be ruled out.
That could become increasingly important because European governments have significant security and financial interests tied to the outcome of the war.
Europe Wants a Seat at the Table
The prospect of negotiations involving only Russia, Ukraine and the United States also raises questions about Europe’s role.
European governments have provided extensive political, financial and military support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
For European leaders, therefore, the future security arrangements of Ukraine are inseparable from the security of the wider continent.
The Kremlin has suggested that European involvement could be considered, although the initial Abu Dhabi discussions are expected to remain trilateral.
The question of who participates could consequently become almost as important as what is discussed. Trump’s Diplomatic Gamble
The negotiations also represent an important test of US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic strategy. Washington has been pushing to bring Moscow and Kyiv back into direct negotiations, with Witkoff playing a prominent role in the latest diplomatic contacts.
The United States is attempting to position itself as the principal intermediary capable of communicating with both sides. That gives Washington considerable influence over the process — but it also creates political risks. If negotiations produce progress, the Trump administration could claim a major diplomatic achievement.
If they fail, however, the United States could face renewed criticism from both Moscow and Kyiv, particularly if either side concludes that Washington is putting excessive pressure on it to compromise.
A Fragile Opportunity
The November meeting is therefore best understood as an opportunity rather than a guarantee of peace. The fact that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to resume negotiations is significant after months of diplomatic stagnation.
But agreement to talk does not mean agreement on the substance. The most difficult questions remain unresolved: territory, security guarantees, the future military position of Ukraine, Russia’s security demands, sanctions and the mechanism for ensuring that any ceasefire becomes a durable peace.
The continued fighting also remains a major obstacle. Even as diplomats prepare to meet, Russian and Ukrainian forces continue military operations, demonstrating the gap between diplomatic engagement and realities on the battlefield.
What Happens in Abu Dhabi Could Matter Beyond Ukraine
If the talks proceed as planned, Abu Dhabi could become an important diplomatic stage in the search for an end to Europe’s largest war in decades. The immediate objective will likely be to establish whether Russia, Ukraine and the United States can agree on a framework for further negotiations.
A successful technical-level meeting could pave the way for higher-level discussions and potentially a future meeting involving Putin, Zelenskyy and Trump.
But expectations will need to remain measured. For Ukraine, the priority is a peace that protects its sovereignty and provides credible long-term security. For Russia, the priority includes addressing its security demands and achieving what Moscow considers a sustainable settlement.
For the United States, the challenge is to bridge those positions without allowing negotiations to collapse. And for Europe, the central question is whether it will have a meaningful role in determining the security architecture that emerges from any eventual peace agreement.
The road to peace may now have reopened — but the hardest negotiations are still ahead.
Golden Page News | Reporting on the people, events and ideas shaping tomorrow.
