Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States of America have agreed to meet at a technical level in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. Zelensky hopes that a meeting of the heads of state of Ukraine, Russia and the US will follow.
Zelensky said he spoke on Friday with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. "The plan is to meet in the first half of November, as early as possible, of course," Zelensky said while addressing the Hudson Institute via video link.
He added that much depends on Russia, reminding that a similar meeting scheduled for this month did not take place. He emphasised the importance of continuous diplomatic efforts to agree on a ceasefire and the end of the war, which is now in its fifth year. He also highlighted that Europe should be included in the negotiations, and that it is crucial that meetings of the heads of state follow the technical discussions.
Zelensky stressed that any peace agreement requires security guarantees for Ukraine and ten-year funding for the Ukrainian army. In addition, he warned that the Ukrainian army still has problems accessing Starlink communication systems, despite US assurances that speed restrictions have been removed.
"Speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield are still there, and the speed has not been restored to the previous level," Zelensky stated, thereby refuting US President Donald Trump's claim that services have been fully restored. Ukraine is also waiting for a shipment of air defence interceptors previously agreed upon, Zelensky said, pointing to the difficulties Kyiv faces due to near-daily mass Russian drone and missile attacks.
