Abu Dhabi talks face low expectations despite Trump's deal promise

Correspondent Christoph Wanner says both sides have tempered hopes for a breakthrough, with Ukraine's security guarantees among the issues ahead.

Channel: WELT Nachrichtensender ·

GermanyStory of November 8, 2026Trari Newsroom

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0:00Russian, Ukrainian and American representatives are preparing for working-level talks in Abu Dhabi.
0:30Wanner expects no early substantive breakthrough, pointing to cautious statements from both sides.
1:50He considers a Trump-Putin-Xi meeting likely and describes Zelenskyy's concern about Ukraine being excluded.
4:11Wanner identifies Kyiv's water supply as the urgent concern and warns prolonged outages could increase infectious-disease risks.
5:55The discussion turns to Russian short-range ballistic missiles and helicopter-launched Banderol projectiles.

Donald Trump's announcement of a major agreement comes without details, while Russian and Ukrainian officials are warning against expecting too much from the next round of negotiations. That gap between presidential promise and diplomatic caution leads Germany's WELT Nachrichtensender report on planned talks in Abu Dhabi.

The broadcaster says Russian, Ukrainian and American representatives are due to begin working-level negotiations on Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates capital. Russian President Vladimir Putin has consulted his delegation, while Ukrainian representatives have coordinated with the European Union in Brussels. Possible security guarantees for Ukraine and conditions for ending the war are on the agenda.

Speaking from Kyiv to presenter Tatjana in Berlin, correspondent Christoph Wanner says he does not expect an early substantive breakthrough. He points to restrained statements from Putin's adviser Yuri Ushakov and Kyrylo Budanov of the Ukrainian president's office: the sides first need to move closer, rather than treat the meeting as the moment a settlement arrives.

Wanner also looks beyond Abu Dhabi to the APEC summit in China on November 19. He considers a meeting between Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping likely, but presents that as an expectation, not a confirmed gathering. According to the report, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fears discussions about a new security order without Ukraine's participation, a scenario he has described as "Yalta 2.0."

The diplomatic preparations coincide with continuing attacks. Wanner reports Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and Russian missile attacks on Kyiv and Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including the North Bridge across the Dnipro.

For Kyiv's residents, he identifies water supply as the most urgent problem. Prolonged interruptions could create risks of cholera, dysentery and typhoid, he warns; he does not report an outbreak. The city is using generators, small power plants and emergency wells to maintain essential services.

The closing discussion examines Russian attack methods, including ballistic short-range missiles and a helicopter-launched weapon called Banderol. Wanner describes it as a cheap, dangerous hybrid projectile that Russia can deploy in large numbers.

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