KYIV, Ukraine — Diplomatic negotiations between Ukraine and Russia set for this week could be moved from the United Arab Emirates to alternative locations due to escalating Middle East violence, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Monday.
The Ukrainian leader indicated that Switzerland or Turkey might serve as backup venues if the originally planned Abu Dhabi meeting cannot proceed safely amid regional warfare.
Zelenskyy also confirmed that Western nations have not signaled any immediate disruption to crucial air defense missile shipments to Ukraine despite their Middle East defense obligations.
The U.S.-facilitated diplomatic initiative aims to resolve the conflict that started when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, recent American and Israeli military actions against Iran, along with retaliatory missile strikes from Iran and its allied militias targeting Israel and Arab nations, threaten to shift global focus away from the nearly three-year European war.
“Because of the fighting, we cannot guarantee at this time that the meeting will happen in Abu Dhabi,” Zelenskyy stated during a WhatsApp conversation with journalists. He had announced the UAE capital as the chosen location just last week.
Past diplomatic sessions between the warring nations have taken place in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and Geneva, though none have achieved significant progress on major disputes.
The Ukrainian president reported no immediate reduction in American and European air defense weapon supplies, particularly the crucial American-manufactured Patriot missile systems. Nevertheless, he warned that delivery quantities might decrease if Middle Eastern hostilities persist.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia’s winter campaign to destroy Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure was unsuccessful, despite causing substantial damage. He noted that Russian air strikes have now shifted focus to other critical systems, including water supply networks.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Sunday that the UK plans to deploy Ukrainian specialists to assist Persian Gulf nations in intercepting Iranian drones. Ukraine has developed significant drone warfare capabilities throughout the conflict, as Russia conducts daily bombardments using Iranian-designed Shahed drones.
However, Zelenskyy said he has not been contacted directly by Britain or other nations regarding such assistance requests.
