Abu Dhabi Hosts Talks For ‘Final End’ To Ukraine War As Rubio Meets Kyiv Counterpart In Paris

Trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine began in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, November 10, as Washington pushes for a “final end” to the war. Hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the negotiations mark the first substantive engagement between Moscow and Kyiv since February, with discussions centred on security guarantees for Ukraine, possible sanctions relief for Russia and a broader European security framework.

The talks come as US President Donald Trump faces a challenging political moment following joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran and the recent midterm elections, which have weakened his position at home.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Paris. Rubio is visiting France from November 8 to 10, accompanied by Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison M Hooker and Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson. Both ministers are also scheduled to attend a G7 family photograph and a working lunch focused on support for Ukraine.

Washington's proposal centres on a “long-term security architecture” between Russia and Europe. Although details remain vague, Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a lead negotiator, outlined stronger consultations, reliable crisis communication, greater military transparency and reciprocal measures to reduce escalation risks. He stressed that every country's sovereignty and independent decision-making would be respected. Rubio said some progress had been made on defining the framework.

A US official said Europe must be “at the table”. Proposals include reviving the NATO-Russia Council, suspended after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and potentially lifting sanctions on Moscow as part of a peace agreement.

Washington has also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine modelled on NATO's Article 5. One US official said Kyiv could receive assurances “very similar to NATO”, describing an American guarantee as a “really, really big deal” for Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, Moscow opposes Ukraine's NATO membership and Western troops on its territory. Questions also remain over how guarantees would work, since Article 5 does not prescribe an identical military response from every member, while cyberattacks and hybrid warfare complicate the definition of an attack warranting intervention.

European governments remain wary of Washington's approach. Representatives from Germany, France, the UK, Italy and the EU are meeting US negotiators, but a European security official said the proposal remained unclear and warned that Washington could press for major concessions to Russia.

The biggest concern is that Moscow could demand NATO withdraw forces from eastern Europe, exposing regional allies to greater Russian influence. Putin has long opposed NATO's eastward expansion, but European capitals are alarmed that Washington is now willing to entertain such demands.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe already had a security architecture under which Russia had accepted obligations to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, but was failing to honour them.

Trump has also indicated that Ukraine may have to surrender territory, leaving it in a “little bit different shape”. After meeting Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev last week, he called for a “big, beautiful agreement” that could “involve all of Europe”.