Ukraine's Foreign Minister: No Sign Russia Is Ready for Real Talks
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says there are no signs on the battlefield that Russia is ready for serious negotiations. Trilateral talks between Kyiv, Washington and Moscow are due in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said there are no signs at the front that Russia is ready for serious negotiations to end the war. His assessment comes ahead of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia, scheduled for 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi.
Truce over, fighting resumed
The week began with fighting resuming along the entire front line. Last week, a temporary ceasefire held for six days in the Kherson region so that humanitarian aid could be delivered to the town of Oleshky. Both Russia and Ukraine have noted that it was the first time a ceasefire lasted so long, with neither side violating it. Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said she and her Ukrainian counterpart had agreed to organise regular, at least monthly, aid deliveries to Oleshky.
However, Russia resumed drone strikes on Kherson this week. Ukrainian authorities claim Russian forces used the truce to move troops closer to the Dnipro River and take better firing positions. The Kremlin says Ukraine's armed forces did the same; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called this entirely normal practice.
Ahead of the talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held meetings with allies in Europe this week to secure support for the coming winter. At the Ibero-American summit in Madrid he asked Spain and countries of South and Latin America for help supplying components for Ukraine's energy system.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry views the talks with considerable scepticism, partly because Moscow plans to send a delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, whom the West regards as too weak a political figure to make serious decisions. Sybiha stressed that only pressure, sanctions and strengthening Ukraine can produce a result.
Both sides continue to strike targets deep behind the lines. Ukrainian forces have temporarily knocked out 15 of Russia's 38 large oil refineries; Ukraine's military intelligence (GUR) puts the total damage at $23 billion. UN Secretary-General's spokesman Stéphane Dujarric again called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire.
