We expect to resume the three-way format on November 10 and 11. Our working teams will meet and we hope that this format will open the way to a tripartite meeting at a higher level, Zelensky said in Germany.
Among the most important topics of talks, the Ukrainian president mentioned the suspension of attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure. He also pointed out the need to unblock grain transport through the Black Sea and conduct an exchange of prisoners.
The talks in the capital of the United Arab Emirates were previously announced by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff. On Tuesday, their organization was also confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
This will be the first meeting of representatives of Moscow and Kiev since the February round of talks in Geneva.
The Ukrainian leader also referred to the words of Vladimir Putin's adviser, Yuri Ushakov. The Russian politician previously said that Zelensky could come to Moscow if he wanted to talk to the Russian president.
There is no point in inviting Putin to Kiev because he won't come anyway. And issuing an invitation that will not be accepted is destructive, Zelensky said.
He added that inviting him to Moscow was equally destructive. He recalled that in 2022, Russian troops arrived near Kiev without invitation, starting a full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
Merz: The role of Europeans is crucial
Zelensky stressed that stable peace cannot be achieved without including European countries in the negotiation process. A similar position was presented by the German Chancellor.
Europe must and wants to play a role in this process. The key elements of a peace solution, whether regarding sanctions or security architecture, can only be resolved with the participation of Europeans, said Friedrich Merz.
The Chancellor announced additional aid for Ukraine, which is intended to help the country survive the winter. According to the dpa agency, the value of support is to amount to EUR 200 million. Zelensky thanked the German authorities, among others. for assistance in air defense and the energy sector and for a new package for Ukrainian F-16 fighters.
Merz announced that on November 19, Berlin will host a meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing. Numerous leaders of states and governments are expected to participate in the talks, and the main topic will be military aid for Ukraine in 2027.
The Chancellor also referred to the G20 summit in Miami, announced for December 14 and 15, to which US President Donald Trump was to invite Vladimir Putin.
If we are talking about Ukraine, the president of Ukraine must be at the table, Merz emphasized.
Medinsky again heads the Russian delegation. What could this mean?
Advisor to the Russian president, Vladimir Medinsky, will lead the Russian delegation during trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US, scheduled for November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Medinsky, a former Russian culture minister and current adviser to Putin, previously headed the Russian delegation during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in 2022.
Last June, after one of the meetings with Ukrainian representatives in Turkey, he argued that the condition for ending the war was for Kiev to accept Moscow's demands, including the renunciation of integration with the West. He also announced the possibility of further Russian territorial gains.
Medinsky said then that Russia was ready to wage war "as long as necessary." He recalled the Northern War from the beginning of the 18th century, which lasted 21 years - reminds The Moscow Times.
Marina Falina, a professor at the University of Utrecht, quoted by The Moscow Times, said that sending Medinsky for talks may indicate that the Kremlin intends to conduct negotiations primarily in a political and ideological tone.
In her opinion, the situation is different when Moscow delegates military or representatives of the secret services to the talks. Such participants could conduct more specific talks regarding territories, peace guarantees or security issues.
