Kyiv pushes to pull forward Abu Dhabi talks with Russia by a week

Ukraine is moving to accelerate the timeline for upcoming peace talks with Russia and the United States. The goal is to shift the start of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi at least one week earlier than the current plan. Kyiv is coordinating this effort with Washington to secure a quicker start to the diplomatic process.

The shift is driven by the urgency of the winter season. A source within President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team explained that every week matters as the cold sets in. The official noted that when a country lacks power, water, or heating, each day becomes a factor in the negotiation leverage.

Ukraine is also pressing to include an EU representative at the table. This proposal faces resistance from Moscow, which prefers to exclude Europeans from the initial meeting. Kyiv intends to bring the European official to Abu Dhabi to provide real-time briefings, even if the EU has not yet designated a specific mandate for decision-making.

The preferred EU candidate has emerged as Björn Seibert. Seibert serves as Head of Cabinet and is the closest aide to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ukrainian officials believe his involvement could help bridge the gap between European security concerns and the trilateral format.

Moscow has not yet confirmed the earlier date as of the evening of October 25. Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian leader, stated that Russia is ready to resume talks after November 4. The Ukrainian side does not expect a breakthrough at the first meeting, viewing it as a period for delegations to adjust to new compositions.

Negotiators are proposing a different approach to territorial issues. Instead of debating specific villages, Ukraine wants to define the overall structure of post-war peace, including NATO cooperation and security guarantees. A source close to the team cited that public trust in President Donald Trump is only 6% higher than trust in Vladimir Putin, meaning the deal requires concrete structural protections rather than personal assurances.

Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, communicated to American officials that the final agreement must be acceptable to residents of Kharkiv and Dnipro. He emphasized that these regions are next in line after Donbas, and their acceptance would signal genuine progress.