Ukraine peace talks resume with some flexibility from both sides – BBC

Moscow and Kyiv are privately showing "a little bit of flexibility" over who will control Ukraine's eastern oblasts after the war, ahead of peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

Source: the BBC, citing US officials

Details: The BBC noted that these comments were made ahead of the first trilateral talks since February aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Senior officials from Moscow, Kyiv and Washington are due to meet in Abu Dhabi as the fifth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine looms.

Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, who is part of the US delegation along with peace envoy Steve Witkoff, said the talks will focus on resolving "postwar security concerns" for both Russia and Ukraine.

As the BBC noted, although neither side has made concessions on these demands, a US official suggested ahead of the talks that this is merely their public position and that Moscow and Kyiv had privately shown "a little bit of flexibility".

Meanwhile, the official acknowledged that the issue could not be separated from discussions on a new "security architecture".

Quote from the US source: "They will not solve the Donetsk issue and the territorial issue until they know what the security architecture is going to be after the war.

And keep in mind, we're not going to be able to finalise one without the other."

Details: The BBC added that, for Ukraine, the post-war "security architecture" could include guarantees that its allies will come to its aid should it be attacked again. For Russia, this could mean achieving its longstanding ambition of forcing NATO to withdraw from Eastern Europe, a prospect that would cause alarm among European countries.

The proposed framework agreement provides for security consultations, crisis communication channels and "reciprocal de-escalation measures" between the two sides. Officials have also floated the idea of reviving the NATO-Russia Council, whose activities have been effectively suspended since 2022.

The BBC reported that the US official said Washington will propose moving towards a multilateral format, bringing European countries into the discussions.

"Hopefully we'll get the Russians on board," the official said, while acknowledging that "the Russians have a bad taste in their mouth with the Europeans".

Background:

• The peace talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia, which are scheduled for 10-11 November in Abu Dhabi, will be attended by representatives from the European Commission, the European Council, Germany, France and the UK at security adviser level, as well as the NATO secretary general's chief of staff.
• US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will hold a meeting with European representatives prior to the start of the Ukraine-US-Russia talks.
• Ukraine will be represented at the trilateral talks by Rustem Umierov, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service; Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the President's Office; Serhii Kyslytsia, First Deputy Head of the President's Office; Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine; and Davyd Arakhamiia, leader of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction.
• The Ukrainian side does not expect a breakthrough during the first meeting with Russian and US representatives in Abu Dhabi, but hopes for progress in the second round of talks.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff on 9 November that Ukrainian troops are currently strengthening the country's negotiating position.

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