November 11, 2026
Abu Dhabi – Agencies:
The head of the Russian negotiating delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, announced that the parties are closer to reaching a peace agreement, following the conclusion of the tripartite talks hosted by the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, with the participation of representatives of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.
Medinsky explained, today, Wednesday, in statements to Russian television in response to a question about how close to a settlement he was: “Yes, I think so,” noting at the same time that achieving this progress and achieving a comprehensive agreement remains dependent on the positions of Ukraine and the United States, and the extent to which Europe “comes to its senses,” as he put it.
Regarding regional issues, the head of the Russian delegation stressed Moscow’s adherence to its territorial demands, stressing by saying: “Every inch of Russia’s territory will return to the embrace of the homeland, and there is no other option.” He also criticized European positions, considering that European newspapers could continue to “live in illusion,” in light of the continuing obstacles related to the future of the disputed territories.
For their part, the American mediators pointed out the continued state of mistrust between Moscow and Kiev, and the remaining fundamental differences, especially regarding areas of control and arrangements related to the settlement, despite the Russian and Ukrainian sides announcing progress in the two-day talks that concluded today.
On the humanitarian level, the negotiations resulted in a breakthrough represented by reaching an agreement to conduct a new large-scale prisoner exchange process between Russia and Ukraine, the details of which will be determined at a later time. This agreement is considered the most prominent practical outcome of the tripartite talks, which also dealt with the future of the settlement and security guarantees for the post-war period.
