In brief
The second day of trilateral talks on the Ukraine conflict is set to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 9, 2026. While U.S. President Donald Trump predicts a breakthrough, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warns against a ceasefire and stresses Russia’s non‑commitment to good‑faith negotiations. Ukrainian officials remain cautious, and the role of European countries in the discussion is uncertain.
The second day of trilateral talks on the Ukraine conflict is scheduled to begin in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, November 9, 2026, with delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States preparing to meet, according to Xinhua news agency.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who met Russia’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev earlier this month, said he expected a "big, beautiful agreement" that could involve all of Europe.
"We will see a big, beautiful agreement that might involve all of Europe," Trump told reporters.The president’s optimism contrasts sharply with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who reiterated in late October that Moscow was not planning to halt combat operations or to accept a ceasefire that would give Ukraine a respite.
Peskov added that the Abu Dhabi talks will remain strictly trilateral – Russia, the United States and Ukraine – and that European participation is unlikely. He noted that Russia, Beijing and Washington are exchanging views on a possible meeting of the three leaders on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
Russian delegation chief Vladimir Medinsky, who led the delegation in Geneva in February, will again head the delegation in Abu Dhabi. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War point out that Medinsky used his role in earlier talks to stall the process with abstract discussions of the war’s historical roots.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the negotiations would cover a range of issues, including security guarantees, de‑escalation in the Black Sea, the energy sector, prisoner exchanges and preparing an agenda for a possible leaders’ meeting. This detail appears only in the Xinhua report.
Humanitarian cooperation was tested in a brief ceasefire in Oleshky, which showed limited progress and highlighted the challenges the parties face.[/p]
