Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the United States opened two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, their first meeting in nine months, with security guarantees for Kyiv at the centre of the discussions. The session, scheduled to run through Wednesday, is the first trilateral meeting since the three sides last sat down in Geneva on 18 February.
The American delegation is led by President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, who have spearheaded Washington’s mediation effort. Russia’s team is headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Ukraine is represented by Rustem Umerov, head of its Foreign Intelligence Service.
| Abu Dhabi talks at a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| When | Tuesday 10 November to Wednesday 11 November 2026 |
| US delegation | Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner |
| Russian delegation | Vladimir Medinsky, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov |
| Ukrainian delegation | Rustem Umerov, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service |
| Main focus | Security guarantees, de-escalation and humanitarian measures |
| Last meeting | Geneva, 18 February 2026 |
What the two days are meant to settle
Security guarantees are expected to be central to the discussions, alongside de-escalation, humanitarian measures and the prospects for a wider settlement. According to The National, security guarantees at the centre of the two-day session reflect Kyiv’s central demand: any deal must come with credible assurances against a renewed attack.
The gaps between the sides remain wide. Russia wants Ukraine to pull its troops back from the four regions Moscow claims — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — while Kyiv has insisted on guarantees before discussing territory. Analysts quoted in the coverage do not expect a breakthrough from this round, and no peace accord is expected to emerge from the two days of talks.
The session is the third round in Abu Dhabi this year, following security consultations in January and February. The three delegations last met in Geneva on 18 February, and the talks in the Emirates capital began at around 6:30 GMT on Tuesday morning.
Europe watches from the sidelines — and from Paris
European governments are not part of the main trilateral talks. Russia has made clear it wants the negotiations to proceed strictly between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington, and the Kremlin said on Monday that the talks would not include European officials.
Instead, Witkoff and Kushner are holding separate meetings in Abu Dhabi with envoys from Ukraine, the European Union, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy. Kushner said on Monday that a lasting settlement would also require direct engagement between Russia and its European partners on the broader security arrangements that affect them, and that the Abu Dhabi discussions would set the stage for that engagement to begin soon.
At the same time, foreign ministers from the Group of Seven are meeting in Paris, where Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha is joining discussions on support for Kyiv. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is among those attending, and it was not immediately clear whether the G7 would announce any new assistance for Ukraine.
Why Washington is pushing now
Trump said last week that a broad peace deal was possible and that it could incorporate Europe’s security, a shift that alarmed some European capitals. American officials held talks in Brussels last week with NATO, the European Union and major European powers to discuss security guarantees, laying the groundwork for this week’s session.
The talks come a week after Democrats swept the midterm elections, winning both the House and the Senate, a result that has sharpened the political backdrop for the administration’s foreign policy push. They also open days after a deadly attack in Kraków put European security back in the headlines, with six people killed in Poland’s deadliest shooting in decades.
The war is now in its fifth year, Europe’s deadliest conflict since the Second World War, and another winter of fighting is approaching. Washington also signed a deal last month to buy Russian diesel, a move critics say would hand Moscow revenue to sustain the war — a tension the administration has not publicly addressed as the talks opened.
Frequently asked questions
Who is leading the US delegation at the Abu Dhabi talks?
President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, are leading the American delegation. They have spearheaded Washington’s mediation between Moscow and Kyiv.
What are the Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi about?
The two-day session focuses on security guarantees for Ukraine, de-escalation, humanitarian measures and the prospects for a wider settlement to end the war, which is now in its fifth year.
When did Russia and Ukraine last meet for peace talks?
The three sides last met in Geneva on 18 February 2026. The Abu Dhabi session is their first trilateral meeting in nine months, and the third round of talks held in the Emirates capital this year.
Are European countries taking part in the talks?
Not in the main negotiations. Russia insisted the talks remain trilateral, but US envoys are meeting separately in Abu Dhabi with officials from the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the UK and Italy to discuss European security.
Is a peace deal expected from the Abu Dhabi talks?
No. Analysts do not expect a breakthrough from this round, and no peace accord is expected to emerge from the two days. The session is aimed at narrowing differences on security guarantees and setting up wider talks involving European partners.
