US, Russia and Ukraine to hold peace talks in Abu Dhabi

Security guarantees remain the primary agenda

The upcoming discussions in Abu Dhabi will focus on security infrastructure and guarantees as the conflict approaches its five-year mark. A cease-fire will not be on the agenda for these negotiations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that progress has been made regarding post-conflict security infrastructure and that further advancements may be achieved during the meetings. US envoy Jared Kushner stated that the talks will respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, adding that no state will have a veto over the security choices or alliances of others. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that discussions have included guarantees similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Article 5.

Overnight drone strikes cause casualties and power outages

Russia and Ukraine traded accusations regarding overnight airstrikes that resulted in one death and seven injuries, according to claims from both Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to apply maximum pressure ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks by launching massive attacks to plunge Ukraine into a blackout. Fighting continues along the 1,200-kilometre front line, with both sides escalating long-range drone and missile attacks.

Russian drone strikes on the power system in the Dnipropetrovsk region on 9 November left approximately 600,000 people without electricity. In the Odesa region, Russian drone strikes on energy infrastructure killed three people and injured one, causing power outages in the northern part of the region.

In Kremenchuk, Poltava region, four people were injured and 15 were rescued from a residential building and hotel following Russian strikes. Poltava Governor Vitaliy Dyakivnych reported that seven people were injured in Kremenchuk after Russian drones struck a hotel and a 16-storey residential building. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that rescuers saved 15 residents in Kremenchuk and that fires caused by the strikes have been extinguished.

Cherkasy Governor Ihor Taburets reported that critical infrastructure in the regional capital was damaged by Russian attacks, though no casualties were inflicted.

Dnipropetrovsk Governor Oleksandr Hanzha stated that air defences downed 23 Russian drones across five districts, with strikes damaging an enterprise in Dnipro and infrastructure in Kamianske.

Mutual accusations follow cross-border drone attacks

The Russian defence ministry claimed on 9 November that its air defences intercepted 430 Ukrainian drones across 14 regions and Crimea.

In the Leningrad region, Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that 113 of these drones were intercepted. A drone strike on the KINEF oil refinery in Kirishi caused a fire and damaged local heating infrastructure.

In the Voronezh region, Governor Alexander Gusev claimed six drones were destroyed over the region and three districts, with no reported damage or casualties.

The Russian defence ministry also announced it had launched overnight strikes on facilities supporting the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.

Each side denies deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.

Zelensky and Putin maintain opposing peace conditions

President Vladimir Putin has set out a list of demands for a peace settlement, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four annexed regions and a formal abandonment of Ukraine's NATO bid.

President Putin has refused a general halt in hostilities, arguing that a pause would only allow Ukrainian forces to replenish their weapons and rest. Russia further demands security guarantees for itself, including a potential rollback of NATO troops and weapons from Central and Eastern Europe, mirroring demands made before the 2022 invasion.

Conversely, President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected these territorial and military demands, insisting that a direct meeting between the two leaders is necessary to resolve territorial issues. President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine's constitution protects its territorial integrity, making formal concessions illegal.

US and European officials coordinate diplomatic efforts

US President Donald Trump, who has worked to settle the conflict since his second term began in January 2025, recently stated that he believes a "big, beautiful agreement" involving "all of Europe" could be near. On November 4, President Trump met with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House to discuss the development of this agreement.

In a CBS '60 Minutes' interview on November 8, President Trump suggested that a peace deal is likely and would result in a "little bit different shape Ukraine," implying potential territorial concessions. However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed doubts regarding the Trump administration's approach. In a CNN interview on November 6, President Zelenskyy described the proposals for a new European security order as potentially "dangerous" for Ukraine.

Mr Kushner recently met with NATO, European, and Ukrainian officials in Brussels to coordinate these efforts. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed on November 8 that France will participate in the Abu Dhabi talks to represent European interests. Russia has warned that any deployment of European troops to Ukraine following a peace deal would be viewed as a legitimate target.

Previous US-mediated negotiations held in 2026

The upcoming negotiations follow a series of previous trilateral meetings held earlier this year. US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on January 23-24 and February 4-5 in Abu Dhabi. A third round of discussions was subsequently held in Geneva on February 17-18.

Zaporizhzhya nuclear facility remains at risk

The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant remains a site of significant concern due to ongoing security risks. On November 8, the Russian-occupied facility regained external power from the Ukrainian grid. Despite this, Energoatom reported that the site remains "extremely dangerous" due to the ongoing occupation.

This incident marked the 16th complete loss of external power at the facility since the beginning of 2026.