In brief
Russian and Ukrainian delegations have landed in Abu Dhabi to begin a series of trilateral meetings with the United States aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis. The talks are set for Tuesday and Wednesday, with European and NATO observers in attendance. United States envoy Marco Rubio has stressed the need for Russian consent to any security guarantees for Ukraine.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Nov. 9, to begin a scheduled series of talks involving the United States about the Ukraine crisis. The meeting will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday at the capital’s diplomatic facilities.
According to Xinhua, Ukraine’s head of Foreign Intelligence Service Rustem Umerov announced on Telegram that his negotiating team was traveling to the UAE for the talks. He said:
Our goal is a long‑term and sustainable peace, guaranteed security for Ukraine, and real opportunities for Ukraine's post‑war recovery.
Umerov also noted that Ukraine will hold separate coordination meetings with European partners, adding that the United States, Russia, and Ukraine will meet in a trilateral format.
Context and Expectations
The United States has already outlined its view on the possible security arrangements for Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Paris that, in his view, Russia’s approval is essential before any security guarantees can be offered to Kyiv. He added:
I think the key to ultimately being able to end the war is an understanding that Ukraine will feel secure after the war, and obviously it has to be something that Russia agrees to as well in order for it to work.
Rubio also said that no final proposal exists yet regarding post‑conflict security guarantees. He noted that concepts similar to NATO’s Article 5, which establishes collective defense, were under discussion but had not been formalized.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has echoed the importance of security talks in the discussion, saying that the negotiations will focus on security guarantees. He also mentioned that European participation is unlikely because the format was originally agreed to be trilateral.
It would be impossible for representatives of Europe to participate, as a trilateral format was initially agreed upon.
The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the head of state, while the Ukrainian delegation is headed by Umerov. Representatives from several European countries— the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy—alongside officials from NATO and the European Commission, are also slated to attend the meetings in Abu Dhabi.
Diplomatic analysts say that the talks are a critical step toward a negotiated settlement. The United Nations and other international bodies have long called for a comprehensive solution, but the U.S. remains cautious about committing to a security framework that could provoke Moscow.
As the delegations settle into the capital, observers in the UAE are watching the negotiations closely. The outcomes are expected to shape the future of Ukrainian security arrangements and outline a path for post‑war recovery.
For the next two days, the diplomatic focus remains on building a framework that satisfies all parties. The United States, actively engaged in preparing for the trilateral summit, is hoping for a breakthrough that will bring an end to the conflict.
