In brief
During a Berlin visit, President Zelenskyy spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about upcoming U.S.‑led talks in Abu Dhabi. He urged for a trilateral meeting with Putin and noted that the talks, scheduled for November 10‑11, might pave the way for a ceasefire and peace agreement. Merz expressed skepticism about Russia’s engagement but acknowledged the importance of the negotiations. The U.S., Russia, and Ukraine had not held direct contact, and a Russian delegation led by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky will attend the Abu Dhabi talks.
While in Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss the United States‑mediated talks slated for Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, aiming to move toward a ceasefire and a broader peace framework.
Zelenskyy said, “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.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz replied, “I do not see that happening so far.” He added that it was “important that Russia finally and seriously engages in negotiations about a ceasefire and a subsequent peace agreement.”
According to Al Jazeera’s reporting from Berlin, the talks were part of a wider diplomatic effort to end the conflict that began in February 2022. The U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the new round of discussions at a briefing in Washington, noting that the agenda would cover “post‑war security arrangements, de‑escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace.”
Russia has not had direct contact with Ukraine’s head of state since the start of the war, and the only previous rounds of talks involved delegate‑level exchanges. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a Russian delegation would attend the Abu Dhabi talks, led as before by former Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, a detail reported by the state news agency TASS.
Zelenskyy’s Berlin trip had not been announced in advance. On arrival, he posted on X that the visiting agenda would focus on diplomatic coordination, strengthening air defences and supporting Ukraine’s energy sector.
Earlier this week, a joint ceasefire operation in the Russian‑occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, overseen by human rights ombudsmen from Russia and Ukraine and brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, marked the most notable cooperation since the war’s escalation.
While the U.S.‑led summit in Abu Dhabi is framed as a diplomatic step forward, officials in Berlin expressed modest optimism. The diplomats present were cautious about the prospects for a direct meeting with President Vladimir Putin, citing Russia’s continued lack of engagement in the broader peace process.
Observers note that the next week’s talks are aimed at establishing a framework that could facilitate a future meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders, potentially leading to a ceasefire and an eventual peace treaty. The outcome will be followed closely by stakeholders around the world who seek to see the conflict resolved.
