Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
It would be the fourth round of negotiations in 2026 alone.
During a cabinet meeting in Warsaw on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed that preliminary ceasefire discussions between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia are penciled in for November 4 in Abu Dhabi, The Guardian reports.
The announcement followed quiet European consultations, as Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre reached out directly to Moscow on Tuesday.
Coordination beforehand was swift and deliberate. Both Nordic leaders consulted closely with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Washington, and Warsaw before placing the call. Støre assured allies that both capitals would take full political responsibility for engaging Vladimir Putin, adhering strictly to the coalition’s shared position.
As Tusk told his cabinet, “It would be good for European politicians to have working contact, given the planned ceasefire talks that may take place in Abu Dhabi,” according to The Guardian.
European leaders came away with what Tusk described as “very guarded optimism” about possible breakthroughs in the United Arab Emirates. Still, the Polish leader urged extreme caution. He pointed to the brutal reality on the ground, noting that Russia lost 2,500 troops in a single night just days ago.
Neither Russia, the US or Ukraine has confirmed the date.
Racing against winter
Kyiv wants to move even faster. According to Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian officials pushed to pull the Abu Dhabi meeting forward by at least a week and demanded a seat for the European Union.
The discussions were initially slated for mid-November, following American midterm elections. While Moscow resisted European participation at the table, Ukraine argued that waiting is not an option when power plants and basic infrastructure are under relentless attack before the freeze.
Early sessions will bypass thorny land claims to focus on delegation relationships and postwar security guarantees. No one is conceding core defenses. Nordic leaders explicitly warned Moscow that the security of NATO’s northern and eastern flanks is non-negotiable, and Tusk affirmed that Europe’s backing for Ukraine remains absolute.
Possible fourth round of 2026
The US, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of negotiations in 2026 so far, one in January and two in February.
No meaningful advances came from the talks, although Ukraine and Russia agreed on an exchange of prisoners of war.
The possible meeting next week would then mark the fourth round of negotiations of the year.
