After nine months without a direct meeting, negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States sat down together in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, and the first day ended with a word Kyiv has rarely used about this war: constructive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the opening session of the trilateral talks was “constructive and quite substantive”, even though no breakthrough was announced and the delegations agreed only to meet again. They return to the table on Wednesday for a second day of talks.
The meeting, hosted by the United Arab Emirates and mediated by Washington, is the first trilateral round since talks in Geneva in February. It comes as US President Donald Trump pushes hard for an end to a war that has now stretched deep into its fourth year.
What was on the table on day one
The talks ran for about four and a half hours. Three subjects dominated the discussion.
First, humanitarian measures. The release of prisoners of war was Kyiv’s top priority, and a possible large-scale prisoner exchange is among the issues still to be settled. No number of prisoners and no date for any exchange was announced after the first day. Zelenskyy said the talks also covered bringing back Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
Second, security guarantees. The delegations discussed in detail what guarantees Ukraine would get to prevent another invasion, and how those guarantees could be made to work over the long term. For Kyiv, this is the heart of any deal. A ceasefire without guarantees, Ukrainian officials have argued repeatedly, would only pause the war, not end it.
Third, de-escalation. Zelenskyy said the talks touched on possible steps to reduce hostilities, though there was no sign of the fighting easing as the session opened. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 162 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight before the talks began.
Who was in the room
Ukraine’s delegation was led by Rustem Umerov, head of the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service. Moscow’s team was headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The US delegation was led by envoys Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff.
Zelenskyy, who was not at the talks himself, was briefed by his delegation afterwards. He said he had given the team clear instructions for the second day of talks and for further discussions in the coming days with American and European representatives.
“The main thing is to make real progress toward peace, and Ukraine will engage only in productive, high-quality and honest work,” he said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also described the first day in positive terms, while Russia’s foreign minister gave a sharply different account of what the negotiations are meant to achieve, underlining how far apart the two sides remain on the core questions.
The hardest question is still untouched
For all the careful language, the central dispute has not moved. The future of Donetsk and the other territory Russia occupies remains unresolved, and neither side has shown any sign of giving ground on land.
Kyiv faces pressure from Washington to make territorial concessions, while Moscow has so far insisted on a comprehensive peace agreement rather than a partial ceasefire. That gap is why even a successful second day in Abu Dhabi is unlikely to produce a signed deal.
What the talks can realistically deliver in the short term is narrower: a prisoner exchange, a pause in strikes on energy infrastructure or shipping, and a framework for security guarantees that could be filled in later. Each of those would matter on its own.
What happens next
The delegations reconvene in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning. Beyond that, Zelenskyy has pointed to further contacts with US and European representatives in the coming days, suggesting the Abu Dhabi round is the start of a longer process rather than a one-off meeting.
The test will be whether day two produces something concrete, a prisoner swap, a date, or even an agreed pause in attacks. Without that, “constructive” risks becoming just another word in a war that has heard plenty of them.
FAQs
When did the Abu Dhabi talks begin?
The first day of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States was held on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. The talks resume on Wednesday, November 11.
Who is leading each delegation?
Ukraine is led by Rustem Umerov, head of its Foreign Intelligence Service. Russia is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The US delegation is led by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
What are the talks trying to achieve?
The agenda covers prisoner exchanges, long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, and steps to reduce hostilities. The future of occupied territory, including Donetsk, remains the hardest unresolved question.
Was any deal reached on day one?
No. No breakthrough was announced after about four and a half hours of talks. President Zelenskyy called the session “constructive and quite substantive” and said discussions would continue.
Why does this matter for India?
India imports most of its sunflower oil from Russia and Ukraine, and Black Sea shipping attacks have disrupted food exports. India has offered to help broker food corridors through the Black Sea, and five Indian nationals were killed in attacks on commercial vessels there.
Day two in Abu Dhabi will show whether the first direct talks in nine months can turn careful words into something real.
