Why is the Putin-Zelensky meeting being postponed? Negotiations in Abu Dhabi and new conditions

11 November 2026, 23:522 min read7

The Russian side sees no basis for a personal meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of the Kyiv regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, without achieving real progress on key decisive points. This was stated by the US President's special envoy, Jared Kushner, following the negotiations held in Abu Dhabi, as reported by the Reuters agency.

Distrust and complex consultations in Abu Dhabi

Responding to journalists' questions about the prospects for a high-level summit, the US representative openly stated that there is currently no complete trust between Moscow and Kyiv, and there is no mutual sympathy or confidence between the leaders.

Kushner noted that the consultations held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates were complex and emotional, yet conducted in an open spirit. The only significant practical result of these negotiations was the achievement of an agreement in principle on a large-scale humanitarian exchange of prisoners of war. The final figures in this regard will be agreed upon by the parties on Thursday, November 12.

Negotiations and key aspects	Main details and information
Location of negotiations	Abu Dhabi (UAE)
US representative's statement	A meeting between Putin and Zelensky is impossible without real progress
Attitude of the parties	There is no complete trust or sympathy between the two sides
Key agreement reached	Large-scale humanitarian prisoner exchange
Next trip of the US delegation	Visit to Moscow on November 12 and subsequently to Dublin

"No agreements or security system guarantees can come into effect until territorial issues are fully resolved."

Territorial disputes and the blockade of security guarantees

The US administration representative confirmed that the issue of providing post-war security guarantees to Ukraine is strictly blocked due to the unresolved nature of territorial disputes. According to Kushner, Russia's demand for the complete withdrawal of all Ukrainian formations from the Donbas region remains a primary condition, and no security system will work until this issue is resolved.

The US special envoy also announced that he would fly to Moscow on November 12, along with Steve Witkoff, to conduct direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Following that, the American delegation is scheduled to travel to Dublin to meet with Zelensky in an effort to bridge the positions of the parties.

Do you think the diplomatic efforts of US representatives can lead to significant changes in the coming days, given the persistent territorial problems and mutual distrust? Leave your opinion in the comments!