Russia and Ukraine resume direct talks in Abu Dhabi after more than eight months

Talks restart under US mediation

Russian and Ukrainian delegations meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, 10 November, for two days of talks mediated by the United States. Deutsche Welle reports it is the first direct negotiation between the two sides in more than eight months and the first trilateral format since February. Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerow, who also heads the foreign intelligence service, leads Kyiv's team. US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, are taking part, while Russia's delegation includes Kremlin adviser Vladimir Medinsky and deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Expectations are low. Trump has spoken of a 'big beautiful deal' that could come soon and of talks with Vladimir Putin, which has raised hopes of a peace treaty. ntv's correspondent Rainer Munz does not expect a ceasefire or peace from this round and sees no sign of compromise from Moscow. Süddeutsche Zeitung lists Ukraine's key demands as security guarantees, a ceasefire in the Black Sea and an end to attacks on energy facilities.

Dispute over Europe's role

Whether European governments sit at the table is contested. French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told franceinfo that the United Kingdom, Germany and France will be present in the negotiating room, and the French presidential office named representatives of the EU, NATO and Italy as well. Umerow said on Telegram that the first meeting brings together representatives of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission, and that Ukraine will hold separate coordination meetings with its European partners. Brussels said EU, NATO, French, German and British representatives would travel to the Gulf, but how they would be involved remained unclear. Handelsblatt reports that Russia said it would not accept any European representatives at the talks, a claim that contradicts the French account.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told the Financial Times that London wants additional communication channels with Moscow, especially at military level, to reduce the risk of misjudgements. He called the British embassy in Moscow an important channel but said he would welcome further direct contacts.

Battlefield claims and information war

In his evening address, Volodymyr Selenskyj warned that Russia is trying to split Ukraine along the Dnipro river, after a session with the commander-in-chief's staff. A hacker group claims to have found around 400,000 dead Russian soldiers in Russia's statistical system, a figure roughly in line with international estimates, though an independent check is still pending. The pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported several explosions in Russia's Novgorod region, apparently aimed at an aircraft repair plant that was attacked once before in March.

France's foreign minister Barrot blamed the Iranian Revolutionary Guards for cyberattacks on cooling systems that affected 700 sites in France over two days in October. He announced sanctions at European level and said the Iranian ambassador would be summoned, while the justice system is already handling the case. Germany and several other European countries were also hit, and large quantities of food had to be thrown away as a result.

German opinion on Ukraine aid

A Forsa poll for Stern found Germans divided on unconditional support for Ukraine. Of those surveyed, 53% said it is right for Germany to keep supporting Ukraine until the war ends, 45% called that pledge wrong and 2% answered 'don't know'.

Support until war ends is right53%

Support until war ends is wrong45%

Don't know2%

Support until war ends is right

53 %

Support until war ends is wrong

45 %

Don't know

2 %

Data from the article text