The key facts
- Consultations with European allies in Brussels are scheduled for this week
- A working-level meeting on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi is set for November 10–11
- Security guarantees for Moscow and Kyiv are viewed as mutual
Two negotiation formats in a single week
Steve Witkoff, special envoy of US President Donald Trump, announced on the social network X two rounds of talks on resolving the situation around Ukraine. According to him, this week American negotiators will meet in Brussels with representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, the future architecture of European security after the end of the war, as well as economic opportunities to support Ukraine's recovery. The second format is talks between Russia and Ukraine mediated by Washington: a working-level meeting is scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi.
Mutual guarantees and Kyiv's position
A key element of the discussions is security guarantees. According to published reports, it is believed that guarantees in resolving the conflict should be mutual, that is, applying to both Russia and Ukraine. Citing the Financial Times, reports mention Volodymyr Zelensky's acknowledgment that the Russian side also needs security guarantees. What exactly such guarantees might look like and whether the West would agree to them was examined in the Gazeta.Ru piece by military commentator, retired Colonel Mikhail Khodaryonok; earlier in Turkey, it was also explained what Russia and Europe would have to do after a settlement. The specific parameters of the guarantees and the agenda of the meeting in Abu Dhabi are not disclosed in the announcements.
