Ukraine-Russia talks are continuing in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday under US mediation. The significant development is that negotiators have a stated working agenda, not that a settlement has been announced: Volodymyr Zelensky said the discussions would address de-escalation measures, energy and the Black Sea, while maintaining that Ukraine needs security guarantees.
Kyiv and Moscow began the talks on Tuesday, France 24 reported. It is their first meeting since February, following a period in which Washington had focused on the war in Iran. Zelensky said he was “satisfied” with a change in Washington’s approach, though the report does not set out what that change involves.
That welcome is not an abandonment of Kyiv’s conditions. Ukraine’s continued demand for security guarantees underlines that discussions on de-escalation or energy infrastructure alone cannot settle the country’s security after the war. It also marks the political boundary of this stage: the subjects on the table could help reduce immediate risks, including those surrounding energy and the Black Sea, but they do not amount to an agreed ceasefire or an accepted security arrangement.
There is a serious counterpoint. The resumption of direct talks, described by Zelensky as “constructive” and “substantial” after the first day, creates a diplomatic opening absent for months. But an opening is not yet a peace architecture. The guarantees sought by Kyiv remain the central gap between renewed dialogue and a durable agreement.
What happens later on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi may show whether the delegations can turn those broad topics into shared measures. For now, France 24 reports an agenda and a Ukrainian position, rather than an agreed text.
Sources
- France 24 Tous titres · Source date: 2026-11-11
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-11