Trump talks peace, US secretly strikes Iran: ‘Finger on the trigger, deal still far off’

On November 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a detailed conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. Special Envoys involved in negotiations to conclude Russia's war against Ukraine. This conversation took place ahead of the upcoming trilateral peace talks, set to occur on November 10 in Abu Dhabi. During the call, Zelensky highlighted the necessity of ironclad security guarantees for post-war stability.

The trilateral talks will involve technical negotiations among delegates from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, with potential future discussions including a leader-level summit featuring Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and U.S. President Donald Trump. Both Zelensky and Putin expressed openness to negotiations following their October meetings with Witkoff in Oslo and St. Petersburg, respectively.

Zelensky emphasized the urgency of expediting the negotiations process to bring an end to the conflict swiftly. He stated that Ukraine is prepared to take necessary measures and has already presented its proposals to the American side. U.S. representatives also participated in discussions with European partners in Brussels earlier in the day.

The objective of these negotiations is to coordinate joint peace efforts prior to the Abu Dhabi meeting. Ukraine has consistently advocated for a ceasefire along existing battle lines, while Russia has consistently rejected truce proposals and demands the cession of Ukrainian territories. Previous U.S.-brokered peace talks have yielded minimal progress, with limited prisoner exchanges and short-term truces being the most significant achievements.

The Oleshky ceasefire, credited to the intervention of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, allowed civilians to evacuate the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which had faced severe shortages in essential resources following Russian efforts to impede humanitarian aid delivery. Zelensky reiterated that air defense supplies remain a top priority for Ukraine in ongoing discussions with Washington.

A key focus of the current talks is securing interceptors for Patriot systems to protect Ukrainian lives from Russian attacks. Additionally, Ukraine discussed the continuation of efforts related to the U.S. Drone Deal and the importance of robust security guarantees following a peace settlement. Zelensky expressed gratitude to the United States for its support of Ukraine's independence, people, and diplomatic endeavors, emphasizing that a truly ironclad set of post-war security guarantees is imperative.