Abu Dhabi talks end with no breakthrough but Russia and Ukraine agree prisoner swap

Talks close without a breakthrough

The trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi ended on Wednesday, 11 November, without major breakthroughs. The two-day round had opened on Tuesday, 10 November. Moscow and Kyiv did agree on a prisoner exchange, but its details have not yet been released.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the first day as constructive and fairly substantial, with humanitarian issues making up most of the discussion. He said the prisoner exchange was a priority and that the delegation also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and how they could be maintained over a longer period.

Positions remain far apart

Donald Trump had said in the days before the talks that a peace deal was close, but nothing in Abu Dhabi pointed that way, and neither Moscow nor Kyiv backed down. Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Mendinski told a brief press conference on Wednesday that the post-war security order for Ukraine and the European continent had been discussed, and that the sides agreed on some points but not others. He argued that the whole European security system needs reform, not a patch. EU diplomats were present in Abu Dhabi and held separate talks with Ukrainian negotiators on Tuesday, but they did not sit at the table. Mendinski was openly critical of the European delegation, saying Moscow did not understand its status at the talks.

Envoys head to Moscow and Ireland

US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are due to fly to Moscow on Thursday, 12 November, to meet Vladimir Putin. From there they plan to travel to Ireland to speak with Zelensky, who is attending an informal summit of European leaders. The Abu Dhabi round was therefore followed directly by a new round of contacts at the highest level.

Overnight strikes continue

Russia and Ukraine attacked each other overnight into Wednesday, 11 November, while the talks were underway. Ukraine's energy ministry said at least eight regions were facing large-scale power outages, with Kyiv hit especially hard. Russia's defence ministry said it had bombed transformer stations in three regions and attacked a cargo ship in the southern port city of Odesa, which it claims was carrying weapons for the Ukrainian army. Russia said it had shot down more than 600 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight. Ukrainian drones struck the Baltic port of Ust-Luga, about 25 kilometres from the Estonian border, where a fire broke out, although the regional governor did not say what had been hit. Two people were killed in Smolensk, near Belarus, by drone debris, according to the regional governor. Air raid alarms sounded in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during the strikes.