26.10.2026 00:01
Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States will meet in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November as part of negotiations aimed at ending the war. Speaking ahead of the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that leaders must also sit at the table to completely end the war. Zelensky, who opposes a territorial exchange, stressed that they do not want sanctions against Russia lifted before the war ends.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared some excerpts on his social media account from an interview he gave to a television channel broadcasting in Ukraine.
In the interview, he touched on the talks held with the US side in Oslo, the capital of Norway, on October 20, with the participation of partners from Europe as well, Zelensky said, “Three problems accompanied the meeting. Insufficient air defense, restrictions imposed on the use of Starlink/Starshield, and restrictions on intelligence sharing from the US. I am grateful to the Americans and our team because, as of today, two of these problems—namely intelligence sharing and the Starlink issue—have been resolved.”
“AFTER SAYING ‘WE WILL GIVE YOU MISSILES,’ IT IS UNACCEPTABLE NOT TO DELIVER”
On the other hand, emphasizing that problems in the field of air defense continue, Zelensky said, “There is progress in the supply of missiles for Patriot systems, but things are moving very slowly.” Reacting to unfulfilled promises, the Ukrainian leader said, “After saying ‘We will give you missiles,’ it is unacceptable not to deliver for one or two months. That is not how things work.”
“THE LAND ISSUE IS A RED LINE THAT CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED AT THE LEADERS’ LEVEL”
Stating that if peace is established in Ukraine, they will not accept Russia’s involvement in the security guarantees to be provided to the country by NATO allies, Zelensky said, “Russia cannot dictate these. The restrictions to be imposed on our army and Ukraine’s neutrality are not open to discussion. As for the land issue, it is a red line that can only be addressed at the leaders’ level.”
Also rejecting the idea of a “land swap” raised by the Americans, Zelensky said, “We are not swapping anything for something else. We are ready for talks. As for the land issue in question, it must be addressed at the leaders’ level. Other issues can be discussed at the level of technical groups. Therefore, these can be addressed in November.”
Also touching on the US lifting some sanctions on Russia, Zelensky said, “I do not want to go to a trilateral meeting to be attended by the leaders of Ukraine, the US, and Russia under conditions in which all sanctions on Russia have been lifted.”
Zelensky said, “There is no need to lift sanctions to buy Russia’s cooperation. The sanctions were imposed not because Russia was willing to negotiate, but because of Russian aggression. And they can only be lifted within the scope of ending the war.”
“WITHOUT LEADERS, THE WAR CANNOT BE FULLY ENDED”
Also saying that if sanctions are lifted, Ukraine will have no leverage, and in this statement referring to the heated argument he had with US President Donald Trump and Vice President James David Vance in front of cameras at the White House in February 2025, Zelensky said, “Because then, as Trump said, we really would not have much leverage left.”
In his statement, which included details of the talks in Oslo, Zelensky said, “The Americans asked me, ‘What specifically do you want?’ I said, ‘Can the war end at a meeting of technical teams in November? No, without leaders, the war cannot be fully ended. So, if that is not possible, arrange a ceasefire that will stop attacks on energy infrastructure, a ceasefire at sea, an agreement on grain shipments, an exchange agreement, or a meeting of leaders.’”
Also recalling that the US side proposed a ceasefire in the Oleshky region starting from October 27, the Ukrainian leader said that the ceasefire would continue for several days and that humanitarian aid delegations from the US, Ukraine, and Russia would come to the region. Zelensky said, “Some people will be evacuated to the area under our control. The main issue is to save these people from the blockade and ensure they can live.”
UKRAINE, RUSSIA, AND THE US WILL MEET IN ABU DHABI FOR PEACE
In a statement on October 23, Zelensky announced that negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the US had agreed to meet at the technical level in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the first half of November, and said he hoped the country leaders would also come together after the meeting.