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While Ushakov did not elaborate on what specific battlefield conditions would trigger a meeting, Russian forces have faced mounting operational friction, high casualty rates, and severely decelerated territorial gains across 2026.
Russian officials are now signaling a willingness to restart three-way discussions with Washington and Kyiv in Abu Dhabi. If held, the summit would mark their first trilateral meeting in more than eight months.
Still, nobody has set a date.
According to reporting by The Kyiv Independent, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian journalists that Moscow refuses to rush into scheduling. “We haven’t sent any signals yet,” Ushakov said, noting that any session would take place “after Nov. 4”.
The Kremlin maintains that military momentum comes first. “That, too, will depend on the situation on the battlefield and the overall situation,” Ushakov explained.
Fighting still rages across eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, where Moscow demands that Kyiv surrender land Russian troops have failed to seize by force.
Behind the scenes, Moscow’s roster remains unfinished, though Ushakov confirmed that “the core group is in place”. He also made it clear that Moscow rejects any European attendance.
“There is absolutely no talk of that at this point,” Ushakov said.
Narrowing the table
Across the border in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested a slightly different timeline during remarks delivered on Oct. 28. Zelensky expects the tripartite sessions to take place in mid-November. Washington continues to push for a restart, but the White House has yet to lock in a firm date.
Officials in Kyiv do not anticipate an immediate breakthrough. Moscow has repeatedly turned down Western-backed proposals for an unconditional ceasefire, choosing instead to hold firm on its steep territorial ultimatums.
So the focus will turn to smaller, practical compromises. Delegations hope to hammer out temporary truces for energy plants and maritime shipping routes.
They also aim to negotiate captive swaps and secure the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
The battlefield situation
It is unclear what Ushakov means when referring to the situation on the battlefield as being a key marker for resuming peace negotiations.
However, analysts and observers have noted that the Russian advance in Ukraine has ground to a halt in 2026 with the Institute for the Study of War assessing in late October that Russia is advancing just 0.25 square kilometers per day on average in 2026.
According to figures by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, Russia has suffered more than 300,000 casualties from drone strikes alone in 2026 so far.
