Abu Dhabi Talks End Without Ceasefire As Both Sides Continue Strikes

Keenan Hutka November 11, 2026 3 minutes read

KYIV – November 11, 2026

Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded two days of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday without announcing a ceasefire or a broader agreement. The meetings were the first face-to-face discussions involving the three parties since February. U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff described the first day as constructive. Ukrainian officials called the sessions substantive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would not agree to an immediate ceasefire without knowing what would follow.

The talks covered humanitarian issues, including possible large-scale prisoner exchanges, the return of civilians and children, and security guarantees for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a potential exchange could involve 1,000 or 1,500 prisoners on each side. He also said the sides discussed parameters for de-escalation steps. A senior Ukrainian official said details of any prisoner swap would be worked out in the coming days. European representatives attended separate meetings with the Ukrainian side. Russian delegates did not meet with them.

The talks took place against continued military action. Overnight into Tuesday, Russian forces struck energy infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions, leaving homes without power in several areas including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. Ukrainian officials reported two deaths in the Vinnytsia region. Ukraine has continued long-range drone strikes on Russian energy and industrial targets. Both sides exchanged further attacks in the days before and during the meetings. No formal pause in hostilities was announced when the sessions ended.

Zelenskyy said the Russian side appeared to operate from a different assessment of the battlefield, claiming control over larger portions of the Donbas than Ukrainian mapping showed. Territorial issues, particularly the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk region, remain a core disagreement. Russia has demanded that Ukraine cede those areas. Ukraine has sought to freeze the current contact line. U.S. officials said both sides had shown some private flexibility on territorial questions before the talks, but no public compromise emerged.

The Abu Dhabi round was framed by Washington as an effort to build momentum. Kushner said recent contacts had narrowed gaps. Expectations for an immediate breakthrough were low. Lavrov’s public rejection of an immediate ceasefire, and his dismissal of European involvement, underscored the distance that remains. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly said any agreement must include security guarantees that can be enforced over the long term.

Winter conditions continue to affect both the front line and civilian infrastructure. Power outages from recent strikes complicate heating and water supply in several Ukrainian cities. The end of the talks without a ceasefire leaves those conditions unchanged. The confirmed outcomes from Abu Dhabi are limited to the holding of the meetings, the discussion of humanitarian and security issues, and the absence of an announced agreement or pause in fighting. Further talks have not been scheduled.