Zelensky: It Feels Like Russia Is Serious About Abu Dhabi Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has a sense that Russia is seriously preparing for a meeting of negotiating groups in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, following a conversation between European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting is part of efforts to find a settlement to the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky spoke to journalists at an event to which the news outlet Ukrainska Pravda was not invited. The information comes from the outlet Evropeiska Pravda, which cites Ukraine's state news agency Ukrinform.

What Zelensky said

According to the president, European partners spoke with the Russian leader on the morning of 27 October. They presented a coordinated position and heard Putin's view.

Zelensky said a short briefing had been held in Oslo on the topics of the planned three-way meeting of negotiating groups, scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi. The European leaders wanted to discuss it with him first and then with the Russian leader.

Zelensky was quoted as saying: "We went over the topics. In principle, we had a briefing in Oslo on the subject of the upcoming planned trilateral meeting of negotiating groups in November in Abu Dhabi. And they wanted to discuss this with me and then with the leader of Russia."

The source gives no further details on the exact date of the meeting, its participants or its agenda.