US President Donald Trump said that Ukraine and Russia are ready to reach an agreement to end the war. He made the comment in an interview with Financial Times, in which he described the progress of the peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow as encouraging.
“I think both sides are now ready to say: ‘Let’s reach an agreement,’” Trump said. The US president did not specify any details of the possible agreement, nor did he clarify whether Kyiv and Moscow had reached an understanding on the main points of contention.
According to Financial Times, Ukrainian negotiators do not share Trump’s optimism about the prospects for the negotiating process. This puts the US president’s assessment at odds with the position of the Ukrainian side, which expects concrete commitments and guarantees rather than merely political signals.
Technical talks in Abu Dhabi
The next planned stage of the diplomatic efforts is trilateral technical talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the US are expected to take part, with Washington mediating between the two sides.
The Russian delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky. The meeting is conceived as a technical-level engagement rather than a discussion between national leaders. It is expected to be part of efforts to revive the negotiating process and prepare for further diplomatic contacts.
Kyiv insists Europe must participate
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that although the format is trilateral, Europe would be present in one way or another. According to him, European representatives could be involved through national security advisers, through an exchange of information or at a subsequent stage of the talks.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also insisted that Europe must have a place at the negotiating table. He warned that European countries must participate in the talks, as the future agreement will have a direct impact on the security of the continent.
In the interview, Trump also commented on other international conflicts. He said he did not believe that the US was at war with Iran in the way the country had been drawn into the war in Ukraine or the First and Second World Wars.
Sources: unian.net, ft.com