WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday, October 23, that peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States had agreed to meet at a technical level in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, adding that he hoped a meeting of the countries' leaders would follow, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters via 97.9 WEVE

"The plan is to meet in the first half of November, and as early as possible, of course," Zelenskiy told the Hudson Institute think tank via a video link. He said much would depend on Russia, noting that a similar meeting expected this month had not materialized.

Source: Reuters — Zelenskiy remarks to Hudson Institute, Oct 23, 2026

Zelenskiy said he spoke with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on Friday, after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. He said any peace agreement would need strong security guarantees for Ukraine and funding for 10 years to maintain the Ukrainian army — conditions stated by Zelenskiy, reported here as his position.

Source: Reuters via Duke Country FM

First half of NovemberAgreed window for the technical-level talks in Abu Dhabi
10 yearsArmy funding period Zelenskiy said a peace deal must cover
5th yearThe Russia-Ukraine war is now in its fifth year, Reuters noted

Zelenskiy stressed the importance of continued diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire and end the war, and said Europe should also be involved in the talks. He said it was critical for the technical discussions to be followed by a meeting of the countries' leaders, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters, Oct 23, 2026

In the same remarks, Zelenskiy said Ukraine's military was still grappling with access to Starlink communications systems despite US assurances that speed restrictions had been removed. "The speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there, and the speed has not been restored," he said — contradicting a statement by US President Donald Trump that the services had been fully restored. Both positions are reported here as the two sides stated them; neither claim was independently verified in the wire report.

Source: Reuters, Oct 23, 2026

Ukraine was also still waiting for a shipment of air-defence interceptors that had been previously agreed, Zelenskiy said, complicating Ukrainian defensive efforts in the face of nearly daily massive attacks by Russian drones and missiles, according to Reuters. No Russian response to the Abu Dhabi announcement had been reported in the wire coverage at the time of publication.

Source: Reuters, Oct 23, 2026