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Russia and Ukraine Show 'A Little Flexibility' on Land Ahead of Abu Dhabi Peace Talks, US Official Says
TL;DR — the direct answer: Russia and Ukraine are privately showing some flexibility on the question of territory ahead of two days of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi starting Tuesday 10 November, a US official said on Monday. It is the first trilateral round since February — but the official warned that no breakthrough is expected this week, and neither side has shifted its public position.
What happened: A US official briefed reporters on Monday ahead of the talks, saying both Russia and Ukraine are showing some flexibility privately on the possible exchange of territory. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the public positions remain the same — Russia says it wants all of Donetsk, Ukraine says it wants the contact line — 'but both sides have shown a little bit of flexibility privately'. Any agreement on territory would likely come at the end of negotiations, once other items are settled, including a postwar security architecture. Security guarantees for Ukraine will be a major topic, including the potential for a NATO-style Article 5 defence for Kyiv; the US has asked Russia to allow Washington to give Ukraine guarantees modelled on NATO's Articles 4 and 5. The talks, scheduled for two days, are led for the US by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Germany, France, the UK, Italy, NATO and the EU are also expected to join the process. The official was clear about expectations: 'We don't expect to resolve these questions in Abu Dhabi, but we want to get that process started again.'
Why it's trending: The story is trending because it is the first sign of movement in a negotiation that has been frozen since February. For months the public positions have been immovable — Russia demanding all of Donbas, Ukraine refusing to give up land its forces still hold — and the war has ground on. A US official saying, on the record through a briefing, that both sides are privately showing 'a little bit of flexibility' is the first crack in that wall, and it comes with a new framework: the US is pushing a deal that would trade some territorial flexibility for substantive security guarantees modelled on NATO's Articles 4 and 5, plus a roadmap for EU accession. Trump's own optimism — he says Washington is seeing a 'very strong inclination' to end the war — adds to the sense that something is moving. But the scepticism is built into the story too: Ukrainian officials have publicly rejected any territorial concessions, and previous rounds produced no agreement on land.
Background / context: Russia and Ukraine last held US-mediated peace talks early this year, with three rounds in January and February in Abu Dhabi and Geneva, and the process then stalled. The gap between the two sides' public positions has not moved: Russia wants all of the Donbas region, including territory its forces do not hold, while Ukraine wants Russia pushed back to the original border — or at least to hold the current contact line. The US mediation is led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and adviser. Ukraine's team is led by Rustem Umerov, the head of its foreign intelligence service, and Russia's delegation is again headed by Vladimir Medinsky. Trump has said Washington is seeing a 'very strong inclination' to end the war, and has said he will likely meet Putin and Xi at the APEC summit in Shenzhen next week.
What we know / what's unconfirmed: Confirmed: the talks' dates and venue, the mediators, the delegation heads, the US official's briefing and its content, and Trump's remarks. The flexibility claim itself is the US official's description of private positions — neither Kyiv nor Moscow has publicly confirmed it, and Ukrainian officials have publicly denied that Kyiv would consider territorial concessions. Nothing about the shape of a deal, the security guarantees or the territory has been agreed, and no ceasefire has been announced. Treat the 'flexibility' as a claim about private talks, not a fact about what either side will accept.
What happens next: The two days of talks run 10–11 November. After that, Witkoff and Kushner could travel again to meet Putin and Zelenskyy, according to the US official. The APEC summit in Shenzhen next week, where Trump says he will likely meet Putin and Xi, is the next diplomatic marker. On the ground, Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities continue, and no ceasefire has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When are the Abu Dhabi talks?
A: Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November 2026, mediated by the United States. It is the first trilateral round since February.
Q: What is the flexibility about?
A: Territory. A US official said both sides are privately showing some potential for compromise on a possible exchange of territory, while publicly holding their positions.
Q: What are the public positions?
A: Russia wants all of the Donbas region. Ukraine wants Russia pushed back to the original border, or at least to hold the current contact line.
Q: What are security guarantees?
A: The other main topic: what protects Ukraine after a settlement. The US has asked Russia to allow Washington to give Ukraine guarantees modelled on NATO's Articles 4 and 5.
Q: Will the talks end the war?
A: Almost certainly not this week. The US official said the talks are about restarting the process, and that territory will likely be settled last, after security arrangements are agreed.
Sources: Reuters, via Duke FM — Russia and Ukraine showing flexibility on territory, US official says and Daily Sabah — Russia, Ukraine show private flexibility on Donetsk, US official, 9 November 2026.
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