U.S. Officials 'Cautiously Optimistic' Ahead of Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks: Both Sides Showing Flexibility, Post-War Security Guarantees the Focus
ABU DHABI — U.S. officials said on November 9 that the United States is 'cautiously optimistic' ahead of the trilateral meeting of the United States, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, saying both sides are coming with good intentions and have shown some flexibility, and that post-war security guarantees will be the focus of the talks.
The officials said the United States has been in almost daily conversations with both Russia and Ukraine. Both parties remain skeptical of the other side's intentions, they said, but as mediator the United States sees promising signs and will work to build areas of common ground and push toward a conclusion, hoping to move 'as fast as possible.' The officials gave no timeline for reaching a deal.
Under the U.S. framing, the meeting will discuss post-war security concerns from both sides and what arrangements would be necessary to prevent future conflicts, an agenda the officials described as post-war architecture. The United States has asked Russia to agree to a U.S. security guarantee for Ukraine similar to NATO's Article Four and Article Five, with NATO providing something similar. European partners including France, Germany and the United Kingdom will join the trilateral meeting, with the European Union and NATO cooperating, and the United States hopes to bring the Europeans into the discussions that follow and persuade Russia to accept a multilateral format. The officials underscored that Europe must be at the table to end the war.
The officials also said President Donald Trump remains clear that he wants Europe to continue carrying the 'financial burden,' and that the final decisions will be for Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss.
The trilateral talks are set to open in Abu Dhabi on November 10, with security and a ceasefire as the main topics, and both the Russian and Ukrainian delegations confirmed to attend.
(Source: The Center Square)
Source: The Center Square
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：阿拉伯联合酋长国首都阿布扎比天际线（资料图），CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons，本站档案图复用。 / Photo: The Abu Dhabi skyline, United Arab Emirates (file photo), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. GSM archive image reused.
- 2026-11-09The Eve in Abu Dhabi: Two Deadlocks in One City — U.S.-Brokered Ukraine Talks Open on November 10 as a Comprehensive U.S.-Iran Settlement Remains Out of Reach
- 2026-11-09U.S. Officials 'Cautiously Optimistic' Ahead of Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks: Both Sides Showing Flexibility, Post-War Security Guarantees the FocusThis story
- 2026-11-10Russia-U.S.-Ukraine Talks Open in Abu Dhabi: Kyiv Says It Met U.S. and European Partners First Before the Trilateral Session
