Zelenskiy Says Ukraine, Russia and U.S. Envoys Will Meet in Abu Dhabi in Early November
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States agreed to meet at the technical level in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi. He also contradicted President Trump's claim that Ukraine's Starlink access has been fully restored.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States had agreed to meet at the technical level in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, adding that he hoped a meeting of the countries’ leaders would follow.
Zelenskiy said he spoke on Friday with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Any peace agreement, he said, would need strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years to maintain the Ukrainian army.
"The plan is to meet in the first half of November, and as early as possible, of course," Zelenskiy told the Hudson Institute think tank via a video link. He said much would depend on Russia, noting that a similar meeting expected this month had not happened.
Europe should be involved, Zelenskiy says
Zelenskiy stressed the need for continued diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire and end the war, now in its fifth year, and said Europe should also take part in the talks. He said it was critical for the technical discussions to be followed by a meeting of the countries’ leaders. The announcement follows comments in which Zelenskiy said Ukraine would accept freezing the war along the current front lines.
Starlink access still restricted, he says
The Ukrainian president also said Ukraine’s military was still grappling with access to Starlink communications systems, despite U.S. assurances that speed restrictions had been removed.
"The speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there, and the speed has not been restored," he said, contradicting a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump that the services had been fully restored.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine was also waiting for a shipment of air defense interceptors that had been previously agreed, a delay that complicates Ukrainian defenses against near-daily Russian drone and missile attacks.
Reporting based on coverage by Reuters.
