On November 11, 2026, the second day of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia began in Abu Dhabi to discuss ending the war.
Rustem Umerov, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine and leader of the Ukrainian negotiating team, announced the start of the new round. Українська правда reported that the day began with a trilateral session before a separate meeting with European partners.
Prisoner Exchanges and Field Realities
During the opening day of talks on Monday, November 10, delegations explored a large-scale prisoner swap involving 1,000 to 1,500 people from each side. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that American representatives would carry this proposal to Moscow, DW.com reported.
Zelenskyy also pointed to a stark disconnect in intelligence regarding the battlefield. He said that Russian military and intelligence officials claimed to occupy half of the Donbas territory that Ukraine actually controls.
“Putin lives in another information. This is a changed reality. And of course, he shares with the Americans: ‘Give me one, two, three months, and we will completely occupy the eastern part of Ukraine, and I can also portray a picture for you—there will be a full occupation.’ But this is not true. This is not reality,” Zelenskyy told journalists, DW.com reported.
Security Guarantees and Territorial Stances
Russian delegates raised demands regarding European security architecture, referencing proposals advanced by Moscow in December 2021 that sought restrictions on NATO expansion. Sources told РБК-Україна that American participants used the sessions to probe Moscow’s core security anxieties.
Meanwhile, participants reviewed security guarantees for Ukraine, Russia, and Europe during the initial four-hour round. ТСН noted that sources within the Ukrainian delegation denied media rumors that Washington proposed shifting administrative borders in Donetsk and Luhansk to help Moscow claim formal control without capturing actual Ukrainian-held cities.
Discussions on November 11 focus on de-escalation steps, energy infrastructure, Black Sea security, and additional mechanics for prisoner exchanges.
Earlier coverage: Russia, Ukraine, US Hold Trilateral Talks in Abu Dhabi
