The key facts
- Trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, with the US acting as mediator.
- The Ukrainian delegation will be led by Kyrylo Budanov, the Russian one by Vladimir Medinsky; the final composition will be determined by Vladimir Putin.
- Budanov does not expect a quick agreement, but considers holding the meeting progress and counts on continued discussions.
Composition of delegations and format of the meeting
Head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office Kyrylo Budanov told the American TV channel CBS News that he will lead the Ukrainian delegation at the upcoming talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi. According to him, he does not expect a serious breakthrough from the meeting, but considers the very fact of resuming dialogue important. The trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled for November 10–11 in the capital of the UAE, with Washington acting as mediator; the dates were previously confirmed by Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov. The Russian delegation will be led by aide to the Russian president Vladimir Medinsky, and it will include representatives of several agencies, including the Foreign Ministry; the final composition must be approved by Vladimir Putin.
Expectations of the parties and the level of the talks
Budanov suggested that the upcoming round could become a first step toward a gradual convergence of the positions of Moscow and Kyiv, and expressed confidence that the consultations will not be limited to a single meeting. In his assessment, one should not yet expect a quick agreement on key issues of the settlement, but the very holding of the talks can already be considered a certain progress. At the same time, aide to the Russian president Yuri Ushakov previously said that the meeting in Abu Dhabi is planned to be held at the expert level, and that the composition of the Russian delegation will be determined by Vladimir Putin; the parties view it as another stage in discussions on the Ukrainian settlement. Here the sources differ in details: Life.ru names Budanov and Medinsky as heads of the delegations, whereas Ushakov spoke of an expert level — the final configuration, judging by the reports, has not yet been approved.
Agenda and context
According to US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, the participants intend to discuss security guarantees after the end of the conflict, measures to reduce tensions, humanitarian issues, and further steps toward a peaceful settlement. The upcoming consultations will be a continuation of the negotiating process interrupted in February: despite the Ukrainian side's restrained expectations, the meeting will allow representatives of Moscow and Kyiv to once again discuss possible terms of a settlement with American mediation.
