Ukraine, Russia prepare for trilateral talks as fighting intensifies

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday that Kyiv was ready to take part in the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi and would seize every opportunity to advance peace. His remarks came as fightings on the ground continued despite a localized ceasefire arranged for humanitarian purposes.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Helsinki with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, Sybiha said Ukraine wanted to end the conflict and had practical proposals and solutions to offer.

Ukraine was prepared to accept a partial ceasefire as well as a comprehensive cessation of hostilities, he said, adding that any settlement must be fair and just and that Kyiv would not take unilateral steps. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 23 that trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States were planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi. He said Kyiv was ready to meet as soon as possible, but the timing depended on Moscow.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement of the Ukraine conflict in a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

According to the Kremlin, the three leaders discussed the planned resumption of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi and the security arrangements needed after a complete end to hostilities.

The Kremlin said Putin had stressed that a lasting peace would require full consideration of Russia's security interests. It also criticized the confrontational policies of the European Union and NATO countries.

Stubb said Finland and Norway, both of which share security concerns stemming from their proximity to Russia, would be directly affected by the outcome of the conflict. "Ending the war requires direct discussions," he said, according to the Finnish president's office.

Following the call, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Zelenskyy should travel to Moscow if he genuinely wanted direct talks with Putin. He added that Russia would ensure the necessary conditions, including security arrangements.

Localized ceasefire fails to halt wider fighting

A temporary ceasefire around the city of Oleshky in the Kherson region took effect early Tuesday to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.

US First Lady Melania Trump said the ceasefire had been brought forward by two days and expanded beyond Oleshky to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys. Russian and Ukrainian officials confirmed that the humanitarian operation had begun and would last to November 1.

However, the localized truce has not stopped wider military operations.

Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that Russian forces launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones overnight, targeting energy facilities, logistics infrastructure and urban infrastructure across multiple Ukrainian regions.

Attacks were reported in Kyiv, Vinnytsia and Zaporizhzhia, among other areas. Zelenskyy described the strikes as a serious escalation in Russia's campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the decision to resume trilateral talks did not mean Russia would restrict its military operations.

Analysts say that the localized ceasefire represents a limited area of cooperation between the two sides ahead of the planned talks. However, major disagreements over territorial control and security guarantees remain, while neither side has signaled a willingness to make substantial concessions.

Although the Abu Dhabi meeting could provide a new channel for diplomatic engagement, continued fighting highlights the difficulty of translating limited humanitarian arrangements into a broader halt to hostilities.

(With input from agencies)