On 26 October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States could resume in November. Their aim is to move forward diplomatic efforts to end the war, which is now in its fifth year. According to the Ukrainian president's statement of 23 October, the meeting is being prepared at the level of negotiating teams. It should take place in the first half of November, with Abu Dhabi mentioned as a possible venue. A specific date has not yet been definitively confirmed.
The current diplomatic initiative follows on from earlier talks in January and February 2026. Representatives of the three countries met then in Abu Dhabi and Geneva but made no significant progress towards a peace agreement. One of the few results was exchanges of prisoners of war. A new impetus came from the October diplomatic meetings of the US special envoy Steve Witkoff. He first held talks with Zelenskyy in Oslo and then with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg. According to Euronews, Moscow expressed its willingness in principle to continue the negotiations. However, a willingness to negotiate does not mean that the parties have moved closer to an agreement on fundamental issues.
Ukraine, however, rejects any peace agreement that would involve forced neutrality or limits on the size of its armed forces. Kyiv also stresses the need for long-term security guarantees to prevent a repeat of Russian aggression. The future of the occupied territories remains an especially sensitive topic. Zelenskyy said that territorial questions must be negotiated at the highest political level, while technical teams can prepare the conditions for a possible ceasefire and other practical measures. The role of the European Union will also be important. Although a trilateral format is currently being prepared, Brussels is seeking greater involvement in the diplomatic process. European states are among the main providers of financial and military support to Ukraine, and any security arrangement will directly affect their interests as well.
The resumption of talks can be seen as an opportunity to restore direct communication between the hostile parties. Their taking place, however, will not in itself mean a fundamental turning point in the war. What will be decisive is whether the negotiators can achieve at least partial agreements, for example on protecting energy infrastructure, exchanging prisoners or limiting attacks. Such measures could create room for further negotiations. At the same time, it remains an open question whether both sides will be willing to compromise on the most contentious issues. Without an agreement on security guarantees and territorial questions, the path to lasting peace will remain complicated. The November meeting will therefore be, above all, a test of whether renewed diplomatic communication can be turned into concrete results.
