Ukraine Sets Low Bar for First Abu Dhabi Talks
Negotiators view the November 10 meeting as a restart after a long pause, placing their main hopes on a subsequent round of discussions.
By Tomas Rahman ·
Ukraine does not expect a deal to emerge from the first trilateral meeting with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi.
Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, told DW that the gap in previous negotiations created a high hurdle. He described simply resuming the trilateral format as an achievement in itself. Consequently, his team holds minimal expectations for the initial session. He stated, "But the second round, we have expectations."
The Ukrainian delegation views the US role as neutral. Arakhamiia said the Americans are attempting to remain symmetrical in their approach rather than picking a side. The US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will meet with European counterparts before the main trilateral session begins on November 10. The talks run through November 11.
European officials will observe the proceedings from a distance. Representatives from the European Commission, the European Council, Germany, France, and Britain will attend at the security adviser level. The chief of staff for the NATO secretary general will also be present. These observers will watch from the sidelines while the three main parties negotiate.
Ukraine sent a five-person team to the region. Rustem Umierov, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, leads the group. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the President's Office, joins him. Serhii Kyslytsia, First Deputy Head of the President's Office, is also part of the delegation. Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence, rounds out the security team alongside Arakhamiia. This lineup reflects the technical nature of the discussions expected in Abu Dhabi.
