Trump says Russia-Ukraine breakthrough possible in Abu Dhabi talks but Marco Rubio is not too optimistic

On the eve of the trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US kicking off in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, November 10, Donald Trump said that the three parties could be on the verge of a breakthrough. Trump again spoke about the Abu Dhabi talks as he met the White House press pool following a meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed.

He said the US has had a "very good conversation with Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi" adding that he is seeing a "very strong inclination" for the conflict to end. Given that talks are focused on territorial settlement, the discussions will also involve stakeholders other than the US, Ukraine and Russia.

US officials confirmed to the Associated Press that Trump aides Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will meet with representatives of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy, NATO and the European Union over the course of the talks.

The US official in Abu Dhabi who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said that the territorial issues are not going to settle unless a picture of the post-war security architecture in the region becomes clearer. AP reports that representatives from other European nations and coalitions will be part of the talks focusing on potential security guarantees and long-term security in the region.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, cautioned against too much optimism despite Trump's indication of a potential breakthrough in the Abu Dhabi talks. Rubio pointed at the historic difficulties in making progress on a deal between Russia and Ukraine since the war started in 2022.

“It’s been difficult to get anything productive out of that,” Rubio told reporters Monday in France after the first day of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting. “But we’ll keep trying. And that’s what we’ve been trying to do the whole time, is try to be creative and find ways that we can help bring that conflict in that war to an end.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Ukraine will likely focus on prisoner exchange with Russia and humanitarian issues at the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.

Budanov said that it is important that the diplomatic process "keeps going." "It is important that the diplomatic process keep going," Budanov wrote on Telegram while on his way to the meeting opening on Tuesday. “We plan to devote a lot of attention to the humanitarian track.

We need to step up prisoner exchanges.” Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles.

He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure.

Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team.

He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics.

Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More