Ukraine tries to move date of talks with U.S. and Russia, expects 'real decisions' after third meeting

Kyiv and Washington are pushing for Moscow to hold a three-way talks session a week earlier than originally planned, instead of in mid-November, according to Ukrainska Pravda. The Russian side has suggested dates in the second ten days of November, a week after the U.S. midterm elections. However, sources claim the U.S. team is not fully understanding the significance of moving the talks earlier as winter approaches.

U.S. officials explain that every day counts at the moment, while in December, every week will matter due to the lack of light, water, and heating.

Ukraine does not anticipate a breakthrough at the initial meeting, but they believe multiple rounds of talks will be necessary to reach substantive agreements. If successful, certain de-escalation measures could be discussed after the second or third meeting. The Ukrainian team has conveyed to U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that two key objectives must be met: regular sessions and a small victory after each meeting. This could include an exchange or similar outcome to demonstrate the seriousness of the process.

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the three-way talks are scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, though the exact date has not been determined. Switzerland is also a potential venue for the talks. On October 25, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov described the meeting as preliminary, suggesting expectations should not be high. President Zelenskyy has emphasized that Ukraine will not compromise on territorial issues, which he considers a red line that can only be discussed at the leader's level.