Zelensky wants Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi before any US-Russia-China summit
Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants Ukraine represented in Abu Dhabi talks before any wider meeting, warning Russia may use the process to seek NATO concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday he wants Kyiv's talks with the United States and Russia, due in Abu Dhabi, to happen before any separate meeting between Washington, Moscow and Beijing on global security, the Kyiv Post reported.
"I really don't want this to be 'Yalta 2, 3, 4,' when influence is being redistributed," Zelensky told reporters, referring to the 1945 Yalta conference where the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom discussed the post-war order in Europe.
Zelensky warned Russia could use renewed peace negotiations to seek concessions on NATO's military presence in Europe, including a possible demand that the alliance roll back its posture to 1997 levels. He said such a demand had not been confirmed as an official Russian position, but that any withdrawal or concession on security would show the alliance's weakness.
He said Moscow's security demands amounted to an attempt to secure a separate agreement with NATO or the United States, going beyond simply halting Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, and that discussions on broader guarantees for Russia should wait until the terms for ending the war were settled.
Separately, the Kremlin said Putin had assured Zelensky, through the Finnish and Norwegian leaders, that his safety would be guaranteed if he travelled to Moscow for direct talks, Russia's Tass news agency reported, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Ushakov said the 90-minute call between Putin, Finland's Alexander Stubb and Norway's Jonas Gahr Støre focused mainly on agreeing to resume trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.
Trump said on Tuesday he expects a meeting between Putin and Zelensky to be arranged very soon, adding that trilateral negotiations are expected in Abu Dhabi in mid-November, after the 3 November US midterm elections.
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What we know
- 1 outlet Zelensky wants Ukraine-US-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi before any US-Russia-China meeting
- 1 outlet He warned Russia may seek a separate deal with NATO reshaping Europe's security order
- 1 outlet The Kremlin says Putin told Zelensky, via the Finnish and Norwegian leaders, that safety would be guaranteed for talks in Moscow
- 1 outlet Trump says a Putin-Zelensky meeting will be arranged very soon; trilateral talks expected mid-November
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Whether Russia has formally proposed rolling back NATO's posture to 1997 levels
- Unconfirmed The date of any Putin-Zelensky meeting
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Zelensky's comments reflect Kyiv's concern about being sidelined in great-power diplomacy over Ukraine's future, as Western officials debate how far Europe itself will be represented in any settlement talks.
Sources
Reported by 4 reports from 4 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- Daily Mirror: Putin invites Zelensky to Moscow for peace talks in big potential war breakthrough
- Kyiv Post: Zelensky Wants Abu Dhabi Talks Before ‘New Yalta,’ Warns NATO Against Russian Demands
- 15min: Zelenskis: Rusija siekia atskiro susitarimo su NATO
- Verslo žinios: V. Zelenskis: Rusija siekia susitarimo su NATO dėl Europos saugumo tvarkos keitimo
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What does "New Yalta" refer to?
- Zelensky's reference to the 1945 Yalta conference, where major powers redrew Europe's post-war order without smaller states at the table.
- What is Zelensky worried Russia will seek from NATO?
- A possible rollback of NATO's military presence to 1997 levels, according to reports cited by Zelensky.
- When are the Abu Dhabi talks expected?
- Trilateral talks involving the US, Ukraine and Russia are expected in mid-November, after the 3 November US midterms.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.