Ukraine Strengthens Position Ahead of Abu Dhabi Talks
Ukraine's negotiating team has arrived in the United Arab Emirates for peace talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in International Relations
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops are strengthening Ukraine's negotiating position as its delegation arrived in the United Arab Emirates. Peace talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
Why it matters
The talks bring together Ukraine, the United States and Russia alongside European and NATO representatives, making the Abu Dhabi meetings a key step in the diplomatic process. Ukraine's team plans to propose de-escalatory steps at the meetings.
Ukraine's negotiating team is scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 with US and Russian counterparts, and the first meeting of the negotiating process is set for November 20. The extraction does not indicate the outcome of these sessions or whether the proposed steps will be accepted.
The players
Mykhailo Drapatyi
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who reported on positions at the front.
Jared Kushner
US special envoy who will meet with European representatives before the Ukraine-US-Russia talks.
Steve Witkoff
US special envoy who will meet with European representatives before the Ukraine-US-Russia talks.
Rustem Umierov
Member of Ukraine's negotiating team attending the Abu Dhabi talks.
The details
Ukraine's delegation, including Rustem Umierov, Kyrylo Budanov, Serhii Kyslytsia, Vadym Skibitskyi and Davyd Arakhamiia, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates. US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will first meet with European representatives before the trilateral talks, and India's food security proposals were not supported by the Russian side.
Timeline
November 9, 2026: Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff meeting and front-line report by Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi.
November 10-11, 2026: Peace talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia in Abu Dhabi.
November 20, 2026: First meeting of the negotiating process.
Big Picture
The Abu Dhabi talks extend the trilateral Ukraine-US-Russia negotiation track by adding European Commission, European Council, German, French and British security advisers and a NATO representative. Ukraine's proposal of de-escalatory steps marks a shift toward concrete measures ahead of the November 20 negotiating meeting.
The talks could affect the pace of diplomacy around the war in Ukraine, with outcomes shaping future ceasefire or de-escalation discussions. Readers following the conflict should watch for the results of the November 10-11 meetings and the November 20 negotiating meeting.
The takeaway
The Abu Dhabi meetings bring multiple parties to the table, and Ukraine's proposed de-escalatory steps will be a key focus. Monitoring the November 20 negotiating meeting will show whether the talks produce concrete progress.
What happens next
Peace talks are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi, and the first meeting of the negotiating process is set for November 20.
Further reading
For broader context on diplomacy, see International Relations.
