Ukraine seeks earlier peace talks with Russia and greater European involvement - Ukrainska Pravda

The next round of talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia is tentatively expected to take place in Abu Dhabi around November 10, following the U.S. midterm elections.

According to the report, Kyiv and Washington are trying to persuade Moscow to meet at least a week earlier. Russia had not confirmed the proposed change as of the evening of October 25.

A source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team said the approaching winter was a major reason for the urgency, as Russian attacks continue to threaten Ukraine's electricity, water and heating supplies.

"In December, every week will matter. When you have no electricity, water or heating, every day counts," the source told Ukrainska Pravda.

Kyiv pushes for European participation

Ukraine is also seeking to involve European Union representatives in the negotiations, despite reported Russian opposition to their participation in the initial meeting.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian officials intend to bring European representatives to Abu Dhabi and brief them on developments in real time, even if they are not permitted to join the negotiating table.

Björn Seibert, head of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's cabinet, has emerged as a potential European point of contact during recent meetings.

However, sources told the outlet that European representatives currently lack a clear mandate to make decisions on behalf of the EU.

Ukraine wants security guarantees discussed before territory

Ukrainian officials are also seeking to change the order of negotiations, proposing that the parties first discuss the future security arrangements for Ukraine and the wider region rather than immediately addressing territorial concessions.

One source said Kyiv wants to establish what postwar security would look like, including how Ukraine would be protected and what relationship it would have with NATO.

Sources in Zelenskyy's diplomatic team also claimed that U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had conveyed the idea of discussing a new security framework to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly agreed to consider it. That account has not been independently confirmed.

Ukrainian officials do not expect an immediate breakthrough.

According to the report, changes in the composition of negotiating delegations could mean the first meeting focuses on establishing working relationships, with substantive discussions beginning at a second meeting and potential decisions emerging only later.

Sources in Kyiv also believe Moscow is counting on winter pressure to force Ukraine into concessions.

Zelenskyy previously said Ukraine was ready to hold trilateral talks as soon as possible but insisted that the most consequential questions would ultimately require negotiations between national leaders.