In brief
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Berlin, said he expects U.S.‑mediated talks in Abu Dhabi to pave the way for a trilateral meeting including Russian President Vladimir Putin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed doubt that Russia will engage seriously in ceasefire negotiations. The talks are scheduled for November 10‑11, while a joint meeting with Putin remains unconfirmed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Berlin on Tuesday alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said he hopes United States‑mediated talks in Abu Dhabi will set the stage for a three‑way meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy noted the adviser‑level talks, slated for November 10 and 11, were part of a wider diplomatic push to end the war.
"We are counting on the fact that work in this format and our other diplomatic steps will open the way to a trilateral format at the level of leaders," Zelenskyy told reporters.
Merz, however, warned that Russia had not yet demonstrated a serious willingness to negotiate a ceasefire. "I do not see that happening so far," he said. He added, "It is important that Russia finally and seriously engages in negotiations about a ceasefire and a subsequent peace agreement."
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announced Monday that a new round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. would focus on post‑war security arrangements, de‑escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation, led by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, would attend, according to the state news agency TASS.
During his unannounced visit, Zelenskyy posted on X that diplomatic coordination, strengthening air defences and supporting Ukraine’s energy sector would top the agenda.
The Abu Dhabi talks have followed a notable instance of cooperation, when Russian and Ukrainian human rights ombudsmen overseen a local ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky, a mission brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane, reporting from Berlin, observed that there was a clear sense from Zelenskyy and Merz that the Abu Dhabi meeting “is a step forward, and there was an element of positivity about it.”
Whether the planned negotiations will culminate in a high‑level meeting with Putin remains unconfirmed.
