Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S.-brokered talks with Russia set for this week could be relocated from Abu Dhabi to Switzerland or Turkey if escalating hostilities in the Middle East prevent the meeting. He noted Western air-defense deliveries to Kyiv remain underway, though volumes could decline if allies are drawn into the regional conflict. Zelenskyy added Russia’s winter effort to cripple Ukraine’s power grid largely failed, but attacks are shifting to other infrastructure. The U.K. plans to send Ukrainian drone experts to the Gulf, though no formal request for help has reached Kyiv.
Zelenskyy Says U.S.-Brokered Russia-Ukraine Talks Could Shift From Abu Dhabi To Switzerland Or Turkey Amid Middle East Fighting
A child plays next to an open air exhibition of destroyed Russian military equipment in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine scheduled for later this week may be moved to Switzerland or Turkey if hostilities in the Middle East make Abu Dhabi unavailable.
Venue Uncertainty Linked To Regional Tensions
Zelenskyy pointed to recent American and Israeli strikes on Iran and ensuing retaliatory missile and drone launches by Iran and Iran-backed militias as a factor that could complicate security and logistics for the planned meeting. "Due to hostilities, as of today we cannot confirm (the talks) will take place in Abu Dhabi," he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat. He had previously named Abu Dhabi as the intended venue.
Air-Defense Deliveries Still Flowing—But Risks Remain
The president said Western partners have shown no immediate signs that deliveries of vital air-defense systems to Kyiv will be interrupted, particularly U.S.-made Patriot batteries. However, he cautioned that the overall volume of shipments could fall if the crisis in the Middle East continues to demand military resources from allied countries.
Damage, Shifts In Russian Targeting
Zelenskyy reported that Russia's winter campaign to disable Ukraine's power grid largely failed to achieve its objective, though it inflicted significant damage. He added that Russian aerial strikes are increasingly targeting other critical infrastructure, including water supplies.
Regional Cooperation On Drone Defense
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom would bring Ukrainian experts to the Persian Gulf to help states there intercept Iranian-made drones, reflecting Ukraine's hard-won experience countering Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said he has not yet received any direct requests from the U.K. or other countries about providing that assistance.
Previous rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks have been held in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Geneva but have not produced breakthroughs on core issues. The U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the war that began with Russia's February 2022 invasion continues amid these new regional tensions.
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