Nov 11, 2026, 08:00 AM UTC

Trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States concluded their initial four-and-a-half-hour session in Abu Dhabi, aiming to construct a post-conflict security architecture for Europe.

US mediator Jared Kushner advocated establishing a "new framework," with US Senator Marco Rubio noting progress on post-war security infrastructure. Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov also held separate coordination meetings with the E4 group—France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom—alongside NATO and European Commission representatives.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected European demands for an immediate truce. Meanwhile, the Multinational Force for Ukraine initiated preliminary military exercises, while leaked data attributed to Russia's statistical agency indicated over 412,000 Russian military fatalities.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States convened in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to resume trilateral talks aimed at ending the nearly five-year conflict. The meeting represents the first direct negotiations between the warring parties in nine months.

Discussions focused on establishing security guarantees for Ukraine and defining a broader European security framework. Delegations also addressed a potential prisoner exchange, though officials noted that an agreement has not yet been finalized. US envoy Jared Kushner stated that prior diplomatic contacts had helped narrow differences between the sides.

The renewed push comes amid broader geopolitical shifts, including recent joint US-Israeli strikes in Iran and domestic US political developments following midterm elections. Despite initial descriptions of the talks as constructive, Moscow has not yet indicated a readiness to offer major concessions.

Sources: Bloomberg, Cyprus Mail, France24, Politico Europe (Defense), The Guardian.

Ukrainian forces launched an overnight drone attack targeting the Kirishi oil refinery near St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest fuel processing facility. Local officials confirmed that the strike caused multiple explosions and ignited a fire, which emergency personnel later extinguished. According to reports, one woman was killed after being struck by falling drone fragments.

Separately, police in Ljubljana have opened an investigation into suspected arson following an early morning fire at a car dealership on Dunajska Road. The blaze broke out around 1:00 a.m., damaging 11 vehicles and completely destroying four. Authorities reported no injuries, though the incident caused several thousand euros in property damage. Forensic investigators remain at the scene to identify potential suspects.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Following Republican setbacks in the US midterm elections, President Donald Trump reiterated an unyielding posture toward political opponents during a 60 Minutes interview. The discussion covered the administration's immigration policies, prospective cabinet reshuffles, and inquiries concerning family business holdings.

Controversy has intensified over key White House personnel decisions. The elevation of senior advisor Stephen Miller to chief of staff prompted sharp criticism, with opponents highlighting his central role in designing strict immigration measures and some congressional Republicans expressing astonishment over the move. Reports also indicated that Trump suggested involving Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White to oversee relations with White House press correspondents.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex.

Russian missile and drone strikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have disrupted power supplies for over 600,000 residents in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian energy operator DTEK. The attacks also compromised power lines supplying the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators to cool reactors. Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed targeting energy facilities and a cargo vessel.

Concurrently, Ukrainian military reports state Russian forces suffered over 21,000 casualties during the first nine days of November. Ukrainian and Belarusian hacker groups additionally claimed to have breached Russia’s federal statistics agency, alleging accessed records document roughly 450,000 Russian war fatalities since 2022—claims Russian authorities have not verified.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly criticized proposed peace frameworks associated with US President-elect Donald Trump, describing them as dangerous.

Sources: Der Standard, ESUT, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.