Ukraine, US, Russia Begin Second Day of Abu Dhabi Talks

The second round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia aimed at ending the war began in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the talks had begun, citing a correspondent covering the negotiations.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Ukrainian media, citing sources, reported that the agenda for the second day included a possible ceasefire, energy issues, and security in the Black Sea. Russian media said the meeting was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Kyiv time. The first day of negotiations took place on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and lasted approximately 4.5 hours. The parties agreed to continue discussions the following day. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the talks as constructive and substantive, while acknowledging the difficulty of reaching agreements with Russia. Zelensky said he had spoken with Ukraine’s negotiating team and described Wednesday, Nov. 11, as the most crucial day for negotiations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who did not attend the meeting, also called the discussions productive but cautioned that much work remained. Western media, citing sources, also reported that US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, could travel to Moscow and then Kyiv following the Abu Dhabi meetings. Security guarantees, issue of territory, and POWs swap on first-day agenda According to Ukrainian media, citing sources familiar with the discussions, the first day’s main topics included the future security architecture and security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe, and Russia. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine, South Korea Move to Repair Ties After POWs Dispute Seoul says it remains open to humanitarian aid for Ukraine as the two countries seek to resolve a diplomatic dispute over captured North Korean soldiers. The parties also discussed a possible large-scale prisoner exchange. Zelensky said the proposals under consideration included exchanges of 1,000 prisoners for 1,000 or 1,500 for 1,500. The Russian delegation also raised the issue of territory, which Zelensky said should be addressed directly by the leaders. Moreover, Russian representatives raised Moscow’s proposals for restructuring Europe’s security architecture, which Russian President Vladimir Putin presented during talks with then-US President Joe Biden in December 2021. At the time, Moscow demanded, among other things, an end to NATO expansion, a reduction in the Alliance’s military presence in countries that joined after 1997, and restrictions on military cooperation with non-NATO post-Soviet states, including Ukraine. According to a source cited by Ukrainian media, the Russian side linked the outbreak of the war to the Biden administration’s refusal to accept these demands. The US delegation, meanwhile, sought to understand Moscow’s security concerns and why Russia believed it needed additional security guarantees. However, Kushner described the first day’s discussions as constructive. “We are encouraged by the constructive discussions today,” Kushner wrote in a statement on Tuesday. The US is “working to end this devastating war and establish the security arrangements necessary for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine and lasting peace across Europe,” he added. Ukraine coordinates with European partners ahead of talks Before the trilateral meeting on Tuesday, the Ukrainian delegation held separate consultations with representatives of the US, the EU, NATO, and several European countries to coordinate positions. The consultations involved representatives of the E4 group – the UK, France, Germany, and Italy – as well as the EU and NATO. The UK was represented by National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell; Germany by Chancellor’s Foreign Policy Adviser Günter Sautter; France by Presidential Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne; and Italy by Prime Minister’s Adviser Fabrizio Saggio. The EU delegation included Björn Seibert, head of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s cabinet, and Anna-Maria Boura, adviser to the president of the European Council. NATO was represented by Geoffrey van Leeuwen, director of the office of the secretary-general. The consultations were followed by the trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia. Europe seeks a seat at the negotiating table However, whether European representatives will take part directly in the negotiations with Moscow remains unresolved. Zelensky said Europe must decide by the end of November who will represent it in negotiations aimed at ending the war. He expressed hope that the decision could be reached at a Nov. 19 meeting of the coalition of the willing in Germany. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has ruled out personally representing Europe, saying that European institutions should take part instead. Moscow opposes the EU’s direct involvement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused European leaders of trying to “buy time for Ukraine” and suggested they “stay at the hotel” in Abu Dhabi. The US, by contrast, is reportedly pushing for the EU to have a seat at the negotiating table, Politico reported. Finnish President Alexander Stubb has previously been mentioned as a possible European representative. Shortly before the Abu Dhabi negotiations, Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also held separate phone calls with Putin. This news story will be updated as more information becomes available.