Archive photo: Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, foreground right, at the Kremlin in Moscow on December 2, 2025. Kremlin.ru / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Unaltered photograph, resized for display. This image does not show the November 2026 Abu Dhabi talks.
ABU DHABI, November 10, 2026. Ukrainian and Russian officials completed the first day of renewed U.S.-mediated peace talks on Tuesday, with security guarantees and humanitarian measures among the issues discussed and another session planned for Wednesday.
The meeting reopened direct negotiations after a nine-month gap. The United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry confirmed that the third round of trilateral talks had begun in its capital, with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan attending the launch. U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading Washington’s latest diplomatic push.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a positive assessment of the opening day after hearing from his delegation. His account, reported by hromadske and Anadolu, did not announce a final settlement or set out an agreed ceasefire.
Prisoners and protection against another war
Zelenskyy said the discussions addressed possible humanitarian measures, with prisoner releases a priority. He also described talks on the substance and long-term effectiveness of security guarantees for Ukraine, along with possible steps toward de-escalation.
Those priorities reach beyond a pause in fighting. Kyiv wants arrangements that would prevent another invasion. The Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine has rejected surrendering territory it still controls, formally recognizing Russian occupation or accepting restrictions on its armed forces.
Before meeting the Russian delegation, Ukrainian and U.S. officials coordinated with European representatives. A statement published by the European Council said future arrangements must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and independent decision-making, while providing credible guarantees for Ukraine.
European security is part of the debate
Russia is approaching the discussions through a broader security lens. Reuters, citing a source in the Russian delegation, reported that Moscow wanted the talks to work toward key elements of a post-war European security framework. That was an account of Russia’s negotiating position, not evidence that the other participants had accepted it.
The European Council statement also addressed the continent’s post-war security, but stressed that a strong NATO would remain central to collective defense. It called for continued coordination and eventual broader discussions involving European partners.
The overlapping language about security therefore leaves substantial questions: what guarantees Ukraine would receive, how commitments would be enforced and how a settlement would preserve the country’s freedom to make its own decisions.
What comes next
The immediate next step is the planned November 11 session. Zelenskyy said he had instructed his team for further trilateral talks and discussions with U.S. and European representatives.
For now, the confirmed development is the resumption of negotiations and a clearer account of the subjects on the table. Descriptions of a constructive atmosphere should be weighed against concrete outcomes, such as agreed prisoner releases, verifiable de-escalation or published security commitments.
Sources: UAE foreign ministry; European Council statement; Reuters on the renewed talks; Reuters on Russia’s stated priorities; hromadske on Zelenskyy’s account; The Kyiv Independent.
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