Ukraine seeks to start Abu Dhabi peace talks on Nov. 3

Ukrainian negotiators are asking the United States and Russia to move the start of trilateral peace talks from November 10 to November 3. The proposed shift would allow the three delegations to begin discussions in Abu Dhabi before the winter season fully sets in. For residents in the east, where power and heating outages are common, a single week of delay can mean a difference in daily survival.

The current timeline places the first round of meetings after the US congressional midterm elections. However, a source within President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s team argued that every day matters in December. The source stated, "When you have no power, water or heating, every single day plays a role." As of the evening of October 25, Moscow had not confirmed the earlier date.

Negotiations have been shaped by a desire to break away from Russian formulas that Kyiv views as disadvantageous. The Ukrainian side has proposed shifting the focus from immediate territorial swaps to a broader definition of post-war security. Instead of debating specific villages, the team wants to define how Ukraine will be protected and how it will cooperate with NATO.

European involvement remains a point of friction. Kyiv wants an EU representative seated at the table from the first meeting. Russian officials have resisted this move, preferring to keep the initial session strictly trilateral. A source close to the negotiation team noted that European envoys currently lack a clear mandate to make decisions. They are operating in a "signal-receiving mode" rather than as full negotiating partners.

Despite Russian opposition, the European Union has identified a potential figure for this role. Björn Seibert, the head of cabinet for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has emerged as a likely representative. US officials Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have reportedly passed the idea of a new security model to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who allegedly agreed to discuss it.

Ukrainian officials expect the first meeting in Abu Dhabi to be largely procedural. A member of Zelenskyy’s team who has participated in previous rounds said the new delegations will need time to adjust to one another. Substantive work is expected to begin at the second meeting, with potential for real decisions around the third session.

Davyd Arakhamiia, the leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, has framed the goal for the American delegation. He told US counterparts that the final peace configuration must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro. Arakhamiia warned that these cities are next in line for potential concessions after the Donbas region.

A source from the President’s Office indicated that Russia still believes it can break Ukraine’s resolve this winter. The Ukrainian side counters this by emphasizing the need for a security framework that does not rely solely on American assurances. Trust in US President Donald Trump in Ukraine is only 6% higher than trust in Putin, according to the source.

The next step is a formal response from Moscow regarding the date change. If the November 3 date holds, the delegations will meet in Abu Dhabi. If not, the talks will likely begin on November 10, as originally planned.

US government sources have indicated that the venue could also be Switzerland, though Abu Dhabi remains the primary option. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, has stated that Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations after November 4. Zelenskyy has reiterated that Ukraine will not accept limits on its armed forces size or a neutral status in any deal.