The United States, Russia and Ukraine will hold a new round of trilateral peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11, focusing on security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian issues, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Tuesday.

"Discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace," Witkoff said in a post on X.

He said Washington hoped to build on progress made during previous diplomatic engagements in Kyiv, Oslo and St. Petersburg to reach a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement.

The announcement follows weeks of diplomatic efforts by officials from the three countries to arrange another round of negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin had both expressed willingness to pursue talks following separate meetings with Witkoff in Oslo and St. Petersburg in October.

Zelensky has said that one or two rounds of technical negotiations could pave the way for a trilateral summit involving himself, US President Donald Trump and Putin. The Ukrainian and Russian leaders have not held direct talks since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Potential technical discussions are expected to address an energy and maritime ceasefire, exchanges of military and civilian prisoners, and the return of Ukrainian children allegedly taken to Russia.

However, significant differences remain between Moscow and Kyiv over the terms of a possible settlement.

The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine withdraw from parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Russian forces have failed to capture.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has called for a ceasefire along the current front line and insisted that any peace agreement include robust security guarantees.

"Our security guarantees are our guarantees, and they cannot be dictated by the Russian side," Zelensky said on October 25, ruling out restrictions on Ukraine's armed forces or demands for the country's neutrality.

"Restrictions on our army and Ukraine's neutrality are not up for discussion," he added.

The upcoming negotiations come amid uncertainty in Washington over whether a diplomatic settlement can be reached.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed doubts about the prospects for a negotiated agreement at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting on October 31.

"I don't know if negotiated peace is achievable in Ukraine; that's what we're trying to find out," Rubio told reporters.

"I don't think anyone here is claiming that we're on the verge of a negotiated settlement," he added.

The November 10-11 meeting will be a further test of diplomatic efforts to bridge the differences between Moscow and Kyiv, particularly over territorial demands, security arrangements and the conditions for ending the war. (ILKHA)