The key facts

  • The Russia — US — Ukraine talks are scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi.
  • The Washington Post interprets the security agenda as a shift in the US position in favor of Russia.
  • Before the trilateral meeting, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will hold separate consultations with Kyiv, the EU and NATO.

What has been agreed in advance and who is going

Trilateral talks in the Russia — US — Ukraine format are scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian delegation includes presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergey Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin, as well as representatives of two General Staff directorates, Igor Kostyukov and Yuri Zhigarlovsky. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the parties will primarily discuss security issues concerning Russia, Ukraine and the region as a whole. The Kremlin previously spoke about Putin's contacts with the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi.

Why the American position is being called a shift in Moscow's favor

The newspaper The Washington Post believes that the very framing of security as the main topic of the meeting could be interpreted as a shift in the US position in favor of Russia, since Washington, in the outlet's assessment, is desperately seeking ways to end the conflict in Ukraine. Concerns that the US will try to push Kyiv into an agreement on Moscow's terms intensified after US President Donald Trump stated that, in his view, Ukraine after the war 'will look a little different.' This is reported by Gazeta.Ru citing the WP article.

Consultations ahead of the main meeting

On November 9, the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner said that together with the special envoy of the White House, Steve Witkoff, he will meet with representatives of Kyiv, the EU and NATO before the start of the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi. Thus, ahead of the main meeting, the American side is holding a separate round of consultations with the Ukrainian side and Western partners, and the final security agenda, as WP notes, already raises questions for the outlet about the balance of the parties' positions.