There is now "window of opportunity" to end war before 2027 – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian representatives rejected Ukraine’s proposal for an energy truce during trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi. At the same time, there is now a "window of opportunity" to achieve peace before 2027.

Zelenskyy said this at a press conference in Dublin, Censor.NET reports.

The truce

According to him, Ukraine proposed an all-for-all prisoner exchange at the talks in Abu Dhabi.

The parties also raised the issues of an energy truce and halting strikes on maritime infrastructure. Russian representatives said they lacked the authority to respond. The United States will discuss these issues with Russian dictator Putin.

Security guarantees for Ukraine were also discussed. Zelenskyy stressed that these were needed primarily from the United States, rather than Russia.

Zelenskyy believes there is now a "window of opportunity" to end the war before 2027, as the political situation in Europe could change later, while changes are already taking place in the United States.

The president believes the American negotiating team is interested in achieving a result in talks on ending the war by the end of 2026.

"A lot today depends on the format of the American side’s dialogue with the Russian side tomorrow. I do not know what format they will choose. I believe it is also very important for the Americans, for this negotiating team, to get a result this year, in my view, judging by what we see happening. And it seems to me that they really want this very much," Zelenskyy said.

According to him, the possibility of a trilateral meeting at the leaders’ level, where the territorial issue would be raised, is also being discussed.

Trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi

On 10 November, US-mediated talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place in the UAE. This was the first such meeting since February 2026.
Before meeting with Russia, Ukraine held talks with representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission. US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also joined those talks.
The Ukrainian delegation, led by Foreign Intelligence Service chief Rustem Umerov, includes Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, Servant of the People faction leader Davyd Arakhamiia, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Serhii Kyslytsia and Deputy Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Vadym Skibitskyi.
The Russian delegation is led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Representatives of two directorates of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Igor Kostyukov and Yuri Zhigarlovsky, and Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin will also take part in the meeting in Abu Dhabi.
NATO is represented in Abu Dhabi by Chief of Staff Geoffrey van Leeuwen, who is the chief strategic adviser to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The second day of talks, on 11 November, lasted just under two hours.
US special representative Jared Kushner said he would meet with Putin on 12 November, followed by a meeting with Zelenskyy.