The key facts
- Zelensky named Kyiv's goals for the talks: an energy truce, shipping safety, a prisoner exchange
- Moscow confirmed readiness for talks in the second decade of November but opposes temporary truces
- According to Ushakov, the first round may be a 'shakedown'; the meetings are provisionally planned for Abu Dhabi
Kyiv's plans for the November talks
Ukraine intends to propose discussing an energy truce and a halt to strikes on shipping at the upcoming talks with Russia and the United States in November. Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in an interview with the TSN television channel. According to him, Kyiv hopes to reach concrete agreements on ending attacks on energy facilities and ensuring the safety of maritime transport, including restoring full-scale grain exports and unimpeded imports of essential goods. Zelensky also named a prisoner-of-war exchange on an 'all for all' basis as another topic. He considers the main outcome of the talks to be preparations for a trilateral meeting of the leaders of Russia, the United States and Ukraine, at which decisions on ending the conflict could be made.
Moscow's position
Earlier, Moscow confirmed its readiness to resume talks with Washington and Kyiv in the second decade of November. According to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin conveyed this to the American leader's special envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting in St Petersburg. The Russian side identified the creation of a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the conflict as the main topic of the upcoming consultations. At the same time, Moscow opposes separate temporary truces: Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov emphasised on 21 Octoberthat Russia needs a full-fledged peace, not a short-term ceasefire. Earlier, the Kremlin also stated that partial agreements on the Black Sea cannot replace a comprehensive settlement.
Format and venue of the meeting
In Ushakov's view, the first round of the resumed talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine may be of a 'shakedown' nature: it is unlikely that serious decisions can be reached in a single meeting. The consultations are provisionally planned to take place in Abu Dhabi, but the final date has not yet been agreed.
Context and significance
Thus, the sides are approaching the talks with different priorities: Kyiv is betting on partial agreements — on energy, maritime transport and prisoner exchanges — while Moscow insists on a comprehensive settlement and is already sceptical about the effectiveness of the first round. As long as the final date and venue of the meeting have not been agreed, it is premature to speak of concrete agreements. For Ukraine, the practical significance of the topics under discussion is directly tied to the economy: the restoration of grain exports and uninterrupted imports that Zelensky spoke about depend on the safety of shipping, while strikes on energy facilities affect the country's power supply.
