Zelensky says 90-minute talks with US envoys as Abu Dhabi diplomacy advances
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a detailed 90-minute conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as preparations intensified for a new round of diplomacy involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States. The talks are due to take place in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November, and are being described as the first three-sided meetings since February. Zelensky made the comments while in Madrid, saying the negotiations must move forward quickly to end the war.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
The latest contacts also include a planned meeting at the White House involving representatives of Russia and Ukraine, to be hosted by US First Lady Melania Trump. According to the information available, Moscow's international economic cooperation adviser Kirill Dmitriev and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova are expected to attend if logistical arrangements are completed. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has also said he will meet Melania Trump in Washington, underlining the wider diplomatic track now taking shape.
The developments come as the war in Ukraine continues into its fifth year and as concern grows in Kyiv and European capitals about the direction of US policy. The reported rapprochement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has added to those concerns, even as the renewed contacts have raised hopes for progress. Separate meetings are also taking place in Brussels between representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, NATO and the United States, showing that the diplomatic effort is widening beyond the Abu Dhabi format.
The significance of the Abu Dhabi talks lies in the fact that they would bring all three sides together again after months without such a format. That makes the meetings potentially important for any discussion of ceasefire terms, humanitarian issues and the next stage of negotiations. The process also reflects the continuing role of intermediaries and special envoys in a conflict where direct leader-to-leader contact has remained absent since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
More from 360LiveNews Opinion
There is also a broader political dimension to the current push. Melania Trump recently announced a localised truce around Oleshky to allow residents to leave after weeks of shortages of food and medicine, and that pause in fighting was reportedly respected by both sides. Zelensky later awarded her a national honour, suggesting that humanitarian contacts are now running alongside the main diplomatic channel.
The combination of White House-hosted meetings, Abu Dhabi talks and Brussels consultations points to a multi-layered effort to keep negotiations moving. What remains unclear is whether the planned meetings will produce any concrete breakthrough or simply preserve the diplomatic channel for later use. It is also not yet known how far Russia, Ukraine and the United States are prepared to narrow their positions on ceasefire terms or security arrangements.
The next key point to watch is whether the Abu Dhabi talks produce a shared agenda for further negotiations or expose the limits of the current push.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes upcoming United States-mediated talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi will lead to a three-way meeting of leaders that includes Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said the adviser-level discussions scheduled for November 10 and 11 are part of a broader diplomatic effort to end the war. He said he sees the talks as a possible step toward a leaders' format if the wider process advances.
More from 360LiveNews Opinion
Merz used the same appearance to press Moscow to engage more seriously in ceasefire and peace negotiations. He said it was important that Russia finally and seriously take part in talks about a ceasefire and a later peace agreement, adding that he did not see that happening yet. US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the new round of discussions on Monday, saying they would focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and next steps toward peace.
The Kremlin has confirmed that a Russian delegation will attend, led again by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, according to the state news agency TASS. Zelenskyy's visit to Berlin was not announced in advance for security reasons, and he said on arrival that diplomatic coordination, strengthening air defences and support for Ukraine's energy sector would be on the agenda. The planned Abu Dhabi meeting comes after one of the more notable recent examples of cooperation between the two sides, when human rights ombudsmen from Russia and Ukraine oversaw a local ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky to evacuate residents and deliver aid.
The talks matter because they come at a point when the war has entered a new phase of diplomatic manoeuvring, with the United States trying to keep channels open between Kyiv and Moscow. They also highlight the limited but continuing role of intermediaries in a conflict where direct contact between Putin and Zelenskyy has not taken place since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. For European governments, the process is also a test of whether ceasefire discussions can move beyond broad statements to concrete security arrangements.
Germany remains one of Ukraine's key European backers, and Merz's comments show how military support and diplomacy are being discussed together. Zelenskyy has repeatedly sought to link battlefield resilience with international backing, including air defence and energy support, both of which he said were priorities in Berlin. The Abu Dhabi talks are therefore being watched not only as a negotiation over war terms, but also as part of a wider effort to shape the post-war security framework.
What remains unclear is whether the adviser-level meeting will produce any immediate breakthrough or simply keep the diplomatic track alive. It is also not known whether the discussions will lead to a direct leaders' meeting, as Zelenskyy hopes, or how far Russia is prepared to move on ceasefire terms. The next key point to watch is whether the Abu Dhabi talks generate a concrete agenda for further negotiations or expose the limits of the current diplomatic push.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Berlin for talks with German chancellor Friedrich Merz, in an unexpected visit confirmed on Tuesday morning. The meeting is due to take place just after midday, according to Merz, who referred to the trip during an industry speech. The visit comes ahead of planned trilateral talks involving Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi next week.
Merz said the rumours about Zelenskyy's visit had begun circulating the previous night before he confirmed them publicly. He also noted that Zelenskyy's trips are usually kept secret until the last moment for security reasons. In his remarks, Merz linked Germany's recent push to increase defence spending to last year's meeting between Zelenskyy and Donald Trump at the White House.
He said the events in the Oval Office had led him to conclude that Europe must be able to defend itself more effectively. The German chancellor said the aim was not to weaken Nato but to reinforce it. He described the approach as making Nato more European so that it can remain transatlantic.
His comments place the Berlin meeting within a wider debate over European security and burden-sharing, which has intensified as leaders prepare for further diplomacy involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States. The timing also suggests Berlin is being used as a key stop before the next round of talks in Abu Dhabi. The visit is significant because it comes at a moment when European governments are trying to shape the terms of future negotiations over the war in Ukraine.
Germany has been one of the central European actors in support of Kyiv, and Merz's comments show that defence policy and diplomacy are being discussed together. The reference to last year's White House confrontation also underlines how political tensions among allies continue to influence security planning in Europe. For Ukraine, the Berlin talks may help build support before the more complex discussions expected with Russia and the United States.
Zelenskyy's travel arrangements are often kept confidential until shortly before departure, reflecting the security risks surrounding his movements. That pattern makes the confirmation of the Berlin visit notable in itself, as it signals a deliberate and timely diplomatic engagement. Merz's public remarks also suggest that the German government wants to present itself as an active participant in shaping Europe's response to the conflict.
The broader backdrop is a continuing effort to align European defence policy with the demands of the war and the next phase of negotiations. What remains unclear is the exact agenda for the Berlin talks and whether any concrete outcomes will be announced after the meeting. It is also not yet clear how the discussions in Berlin will feed into the trilateral talks planned for Abu Dhabi.
