President Donald Trump stated that a potential peace agreement to end the war between Russia and Ukraine may involve changes to Ukrainian territory. In an interview with CBS’s "60 Minutes" published on November 9, 2026, Trump said he believed a deal would be reached that would result in a "little bit different shape Ukraine." When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was intentionally delaying negotiations, Trump stated that he did not believe that was the case.
The comments come as U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that Washington will convene delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11, 2026. These talks are intended to address an end to the conflict, post-war security arrangements, and de-escalation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on Sunday, November 8, that European representatives, including France, would also participate in the Abu Dhabi discussions.
On the battlefield, Russian Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko reported that a drone attack targeted an industrial area in Kirishi in the Leningrad region on Monday, November 9. Drozdenko stated that 81 drones had been downed while the attack continued, noting damage to one apartment. Separately, the Russian defense ministry reported striking a power substation in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region and a container ship southwest of Odesa that it claimed was transporting military equipment.
Data released by two hacker groups—Silent Crown and Belarus Cyber Partisans—following alleged cyberattacks on the Russian statistics agency, Rosstat, estimated Russian fatalities at between 393,881 and 450,100 since the war began. For the families of those individuals, as well as displaced Ukrainians, the Abu Dhabi talks represent an attempt to freeze or end these losses. A peace deal could lead to a ceasefire that would stop the ongoing destruction of energy infrastructure, such as the substations recently targeted in Zhytomyr, which impacts the reliability of electricity for households and businesses.
The outcome of these talks will set a precedent for how international borders are recognized and how post-war security is managed in Eastern Europe. For taxpayers in the United States and Europe, a successful de-escalation could lead to a shift in the funds currently allocated for military aid toward reconstruction or domestic priorities. The formal discussions are scheduled to begin on November 10, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. Further details regarding the specific territorial concessions or security guarantees under discussion have not yet been made public by the participating delegations.