Ukraine, Zelensky: ‘India ready to mediate on food corridors in the Black Sea’

In addition to the chief negotiator and head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian delegation to the trilateral talks on 10 and 11 November in Abu Dhabi will comprise the head of the Presidential Office, Kyrylo Budanov, his first deputy, Serhiy Kyslytsia, the deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, Vadym Skibitsky, and the leader of the ‘Servant of the People’ group in the Kyiv parliament, David Arakhamia. This was reported to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency by Dmytro Lytvyn, communications adviser to the Ukrainian President. Lytvyn added that the delegation will also include an analyst from the Ukrainian Security and Communications Service (Szr).

More than 450,000 Russians are believed to have died since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to the present day. This is according to data leaked from the Russian statistics agency ‘Rosstat’ following attacks by the Belarusian hacker groups Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow on 29 October and 1 November. Russia, notes the *Moscow Times*, has not officially disclosed its figures on military casualties on the battlefield since September 2022 and has repeatedly dismissed independent estimates as unreliable. The Rosstat figures would make the war in Ukraine the bloodiest conflict for Russia since the Second World War, with a death toll far exceeding the 13,000 Soviet soldiers who died during the nine-year war in Afghanistan. The hacker groups Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow are banned in Russia and are classified as ‘extremist organisations’.

“This is the most significant data breach ever recorded involving Russian victims,” commented Janis Kluge, head of the Russia and Eurasia division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, speaking to *The Moscow Times*. “I believe it is now an established fact that the war has never been as deadly as it is at this moment.” In addition to active-duty military personnel, the figures compiled by Silent Crow also include civilians killed in air strikes and during the 2024 Ukrainian incursion into the Russian region of Kursk. The total number of casualties could be even higher, as these figures do not include soldiers missing in action or the 27,000 foreign fighters who, according to estimates, have been recruited into the Russian armed forces.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had had “a fruitful telephone conversation with President Zelensky”. “We reviewed our extensive bilateral cooperation and agreed to further strengthen relations between India and Ukraine,” the Indian leader explained. Modi thanked President Zelensky for sharing his views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspects and the various efforts aimed at restoring peace. Furthermore, the Indian leader “reiterated India’s firm commitment to contributing, in every possible way, to the achievement of a peaceful solution”.

India “is ready to play a mediating role in the establishment of food corridors” in the Black Sea, where “Russia is blocking grain exports”: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this on X, reporting on a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Russia must understand that the global economy and hundreds of millions of people around the world are suffering the consequences of the blockade of sea routes”, added Zelensky, explaining that Modi “has said on several occasions, including directly to the Russian leader, that now is the time to end the war, not to continue it” and arguing that “it is important for India to identify what initiatives it can undertake and what dialogue it can initiate with other leaders” in this regard, with “food security” being one of the areas in which India can take action.

In Abu Dhabi, “these will be the first trilateral talks since February. Building on the consultations held separately with both sides, we aim to bring Ukraine and Russia to the table so that they can discuss directly their respective post-war security concerns, the proposals put forward and possible solutions”. This was written by Donald Trump’s envoy, Jared Kushner, in a lengthy post on X. “We hope that these discussions will help identify common ground, promote concrete solutions and build momentum towards the next phase of negotiations,” he added. “Ultimately, reaching a comprehensive and lasting agreement will also require direct dialogue between Russia and our European partners on the broader security arrangements that affect them,” he emphasised, reiterating the need for dialogue between Moscow and Europe. “We hope that the discussions in Abu Dhabi will lay the groundwork for such a dialogue to begin in the near future, as part of a broader multilateral process.”

Russia is observing an increase in provocative activities by Western countries in the Baltic; Moscow is aware of plans to block the Kaliningrad exclave, situated between Lithuania and Poland. This was stated by the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov. “Our ships are being obstructed in violation of international law,” said Ryabkov, as quoted by Interfax. “Such actions have led to a series of dangerous incidents,” added the Deputy Minister, explaining: “The functioning of the mechanisms specifically created to prevent such situations has effectively been blocked.” Ryabkov also stated that Moscow is aware of “the antagonists’ plans to block and otherwise exert a destructive influence on the Kaliningrad region”.

To achieve lasting peace in Ukraine, “direct contacts between Russia and Europe” are needed. This was written by Donald Trump’s envoy, Jared Kushner, in a lengthy post on X on the eve of the talks in Abu Dhabi. Kushner also emphasises that, on the sidelines of the trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine, he will meet representatives from the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the UK and Italia.

The Coalition of the Willing, which politically supports Ukraine in the face of Russia’s attack, is also preparing on the military front in the event that a ceasefire agreement is reached between Kyiv and Moscow, and the Ukrainian government requests a presence of European troops on the ground to monitor compliance with the agreement. It is doing so in Poland, where a Multinational Force – Ukraine (MNF-U) exercise is taking place from 9 to 22 November.

“This exercise will demonstrate that the Multinational Force for Ukraine is a real, efficient and rapidly deployable force, representing a serious commitment by the nations of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to Ukraine’s long-term stability and security,” said the Commander of the Multinational Force in Ukraine, Lieutenant General Tom Bateman. “The MNF-U will become increasingly ready every day to support Ukraine once the fighting has ended, ensuring that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are in the strongest possible position to deter future aggression,” he added.

“We agreed with the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, ‘that there is a possibility of bringing an end to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through negotiations. The necessary condition is that Russia finally renounce its maximalist demands and show a genuine willingness to reach an agreement”. This was stated by the German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, at a press briefing on the sidelines of the G7 summit currently taking place in Paris, whilst reporting on his bilateral meeting with the US Secretary of State. Whilst expressing “gratitude” to the United States for its efforts to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table, Wadephul nevertheless insisted on the need for Europe to participate in the talks scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi. “There can be no solution without Europe. European security is at stake, as is Ukraine’s future within Europe. That is why we must be present at these negotiations,” he emphasised.

Russian forces struck the Vyshgorod district in the Kyiv region, according to Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, killing one person. “A two-storey private residential building with an adjoining garage was destroyed. According to initial reports, an 82-year-old woman, who was on the second floor of the house at the time of the strike, died,” Tkachenko said, as reported by the Ukrainian news agency Interfax.

The Ukrainian delegation, which will be taking part in the US-mediated talks with Russia due to begin tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, will hold “separate coordination meetings” with the European representatives present there. This was announced by Rustem Umerov, Kyiv’s chief negotiator. “Representatives from European countries – including the E4 group (the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italia) – as well as representatives from NATO and the European Commission will be present in Abu Dhabi. We will hold separate coordination meetings with our European partners,” Umerov stated on Telegram.

At the Abu Dhabi talks on the war between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, the European Commission “will be represented at the level of the National Security Adviser, and the Council will also be represented”. This was stated by the European Commission’s chief spokesperson, Paula Pinho, during the daily press briefing, whilst reiterating that the exact format of the EU’s participation in the talks to be held this week “is yet to be finalised”. During the press briefing, Pinho confirmed that the EU is “indeed open to dialogue with the parties most directly involved” in shaping the European security architecture, such as Russia, “and that is why, once again, we will be taking part in this week’s meetings”: the matter falls within the EU’s remit and concerns its security, she reiterated. One of the EU’s messages will be precisely that such discussions “must take place after the end of the conflict”, she went on to say. “We are also there to present the EU’s position and defend the EU’s interests in talks which, of course, also concern our security.” The Abu Dhabi talks and other peace efforts “will also be discussed at leader level this week in Dublin, in the context of the informal European Council, and at a meeting of the Berlin Forum”, the spokesperson confirmed, noting that the leaders will also discuss the issue raised by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni regarding the appointment of an EU envoy capable of “speaking with one voice”.

Three people have died in a raid attributed to Russian forces in Odessa. The head of the local military administration, Serhiy Lysak, reported this on Telegram, adding that one person has also been seriously injured. According to another military official, Oleh Kiper, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda, the attack struck a warehouse containing food for local nurseries and schools. Kiper added that two other people have also required medical attention, bringing the total number of injured “to three”.

Canada has tightened sanctions against Russia with the aim of limiting its military capabilities and increasing the economic costs of the war in Ukraine. The announcement was made by the Canadian Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris. The new measures, adopted under the ‘Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations’, target 38 entities and 24 individuals. Among those targeted are members of the Russian defence industry, individuals involved in the development of ballistic missile technology and those engaged in Moscow’s cyber operations. The sanctions also target financial operators and cryptocurrency exchange platforms that help to sustain the Russian economy linked to the war effort. “Canada is taking action to weaken Putin’s ability to strike Ukrainian cities with his missiles,” said Anand, reiterating Ottawa’s support for Kyiv. “We will continue to impose costs on Russia until it ends its aggression and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the minister added.

“‘Referendums’ held under occupation are a tool of annexation, not an expression of the will of the people. No democratic and civilised country would ever accept such a thing regarding its own borders, so there is no point in proposing it to the Ukrainians,” said Heorhii Tykhy, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today.

In response to comments made by French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had proposed a referendum as a solution for the Donbass region, Kyiv argued that this option is not viable. ‘Mr Melenchon, the Ukrainians have already settled the issue of their country’s borders. In a national referendum in 1991, over 90 per cent of voters supported Ukraine’s independence within its current, internationally recognised borders. The majority voted ‘yes’ in every region, including the Donbas (83 per cent). Only Russia has chosen to ignore the will of the Ukrainian people and to alter the borders by force, thereby initiating a war of aggression,’ Tykhy wrote on X.

Three people have died in a raid attributed to Russian forces in Odessa. The head of the local military administration, Serhiy Lysak, reported this on Telegram, adding that one person has also been seriously injured. According to another military official, Oleh Kiper, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda, the attack struck a warehouse containing food for local nurseries and schools. Kiper added that two other people have also required medical attention, bringing the total number of injured “to three”.

The participation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov in the Abu Dhabi talks is entirely natural, given that he has long been involved in security-related matters. This was stated by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.

“It is entirely natural that, in addition to Mikhail Galuzin, another of my deputy ministers should take part in the Abu Dhabi talks: Sergey Ryabkov, who deals with issues relating to the North Atlantic region and arms control in the broadest sense of the term and who, incidentally, has spent a significant part of his career dealing with OSCE-related matters,” said Lavrov.

The UK is sending teams of military personnel, known as ‘hunt forces’, abroad to nip in the bud any attempts by hackers preparing to cripple computer networks. This was revealed on the front page of *The Times*, which interviewed General Mike Fayers, commander of the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force (Dcemf), set up last year specifically to counter cyber threats to the country. According to the general, recent cyber-attacks on the blood transfusion service in France and on fridges across Europe “have demonstrated the scale and speed of the challenge we face in the cyber domain”. Soldiers, sailors and airmen specialising in countering hybrid warfare are increasingly being deployed to Europe and Asia – to those nations that consent to such operations – to collaborate with local armed forces. In many cases, these missions require the approval of the Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting. “I intend to physically send people to specific locations to virtually hunt down the adversary and protect our systems,” explained Fayers. Meanwhile, the newspaper *The i*, citing documents from the Department for Transport, has revealed that a cyber-attack by a hostile state could disrupt British rail services for a week, causing an estimated £1.8 billion in damage. (

The Kyiv-based army struck a vehicle in which an employee of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station – located in the region of the same name under Russian control – was travelling, causing his death. This was reported by the power station’s press office. “This morning, one of our colleagues, an electrician at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, died whilst on his way to work. The car he was travelling in was attacked by a drone operated by the Ukrainian armed forces. He died at the scene as a result of his injuries,” reads a post on Telegram.

The talks on Ukraine to be held in Abu Dhabi are trilateral – that is, between officials from Moscow, Kyiv and Washington – and do not involve European participation. This was clarified by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, referring to the talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys due to begin tomorrow in the UAE, with the United States acting as mediator. Peskov thus contradicted the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, who had announced yesterday that French officials would be taking part in the negotiations on Ukraine. “France will make Europe’s voice heard,” Barrot had said. “In the coming days, trilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, will take place in Abu Dhabi. As for European representation, the Americans have their own channels of communication with the Europeans, as do the Ukrainians. It appears they are establishing their own coordination mechanism, but I repeat, we are talking about trilateral negotiations,” Peskov told reporters.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has arrived in Paris to take part in the second G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under the French presidency, scheduled for today and tomorrow. The ministerial meeting will centre on the major international crises, with a particular focus on Ukraine, the Middle East and tensions with Iran, as well as maritime security, hybrid warfare and new threats to international stability. Italy will be responsible for introducing two segments of the proceedings, dedicated to Sudan and the Strait of Hormuz. At Tajani’s request, the G7 meeting in Paris will place the issue of the escalation of serious incidents of hybrid warfare – which have recently targeted Europe – at the centre of the debate: attacks on air traffic, supermarkets and even blood transfusion centres, with the aim of causing panic and disrupting citizens’ daily lives. The G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting requires “a strong commitment to send a clear signal and to strengthen coordination amongst us, because this is a widespread attack”, Tajani stated during a press briefing before leaving for France. “The battle to defend democracy cannot be won without strong coordination among all the liberal and democratic countries of the European Union, as well as those that form part of the free world,” added the Foreign Minister. On the Iranian issue, particular attention will be paid to the nuclear programme and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial traffic remains severely restricted and attacks on ships continue to pose a real threat. Disruptions to shipping also have an impact on the availability and prices of fertilisers, with consequences for global food security.

Germany is unable to supply Ukraine with any further Patriot air defence systems at short notice, according to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, speaking in an interview with the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper. “Whatever we supplied now could not be replaced immediately. This would create gaps that we cannot afford,” he explained, emphasising that Berlin has already delivered several systems and numerous missiles. Pistorius then called on those states that have contributed less to increase their support, an issue he intends to raise in mid-November within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group; at the same time, the Minister warned of the consequences of a possible halt to aid – a scenario advocated by the far-right AfD party: “If we were to cease our support, millions of Ukrainians would head for Central and Western Europe,” he said.

According to Pistorius, a Ukrainian defeat would pose a long-term threat to European stability and could encourage Moscow to attack other territories, particularly in the Baltic states: “Support for Ukraine is not an act of charity,” he reiterated, emphasising that it also serves the security interests of Europeans.

“I spoke with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. At the moment, many of our towns and communities are facing a very difficult situation with their electricity, water and heating supplies due to the Russian attacks. The situation is most acute in Kyiv, the Dnipro, Sumy and Donetsk regions, and in Kherson. I explained the challenges to Ursula, and we agreed that the European Union will activate a special emergency mechanism. This will make it possible to quickly provide Ukraine with funding for what is most urgently needed at this time. Our teams are already working on this.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote this on X.

With von der Leyen, Zelensky continued, “we discussed additional energy and humanitarian assistance to prepare for the winter, as well as issues relating to European integration. Last week, the European Commission published its annual Enlargement Package, which gave a positive assessment of Ukraine’s progress. It is important to open all the chapters and start closing them. Of course, we also discussed diplomacy. In recent days, talks have taken place in Brussels, where our teams have done a good job of drawing up a recovery plan and securing security guarantees from Europe”.

The Americans and Ukrainians have channels of communication with the Europeans, with whom they “are establishing a coordination mechanism”, said Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, commenting on reports of European plans to take part in the Abu Dhabi talks. “What will take place in Abu Dhabi over the coming days are trilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States,” said Peskov, as quoted by TASS. “As for the European presence, you know that the Americans have their own channels of communication with the Europeans, and the Ukrainians have their own channels of communication with the Europeans. And it appears they are already establishing their own coordination mechanism. But I repeat: what is being discussed in Abu Dhabi are trilateral negotiations,” the Kremlin spokesperson emphasised.

The United States hopes that the new trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine, scheduled for tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, will lead to progress towards a negotiated settlement of the conflict. This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who confirmed the participation of President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. “Perhaps some progress can be made tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, when Jared and Steve are there. I believe they are already on their way,” Rubio told reporters.

The talks are expected to focus on security guarantees, measures to ease tensions, humanitarian issues and the next steps required to reach a peace agreement, according to Witkoff.

The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, stated that Ukraine and its European allies are preparing for the continuation of the war, not for peace. “It appears that Ukraine and its European sponsors are preparing for war – for its continuation – rather than for peace,” he said at the 14th annual meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), according to TASS.

“We must provide Ukraine with as many guarantees as possible, because we do not want a repeat of what happened in Georgia 18 years ago, when the necessary guarantees were not provided.” This was stated by the Lithuanian Finance Minister, Taurimas Valys, on his arrival at the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels. Vilnius is aiming to reach an agreement by the end of the year, during the Irish EU Presidency. “We will make every effort to achieve this by the end of this year; it is really important to us,” Valys emphasised. “But I hope that, if we do not succeed under the Irish presidency, we will be able to do so during our own presidency,” he added, referring to Lithuania’s six-month term at the helm of the Council of the EU, which will begin on 1 January 2027. On the subject of defence funding, Valys pointed out that Lithuania is among the NATO and EU countries that allocate the highest proportion of GDP to military spending. The minister therefore stressed the need to ensure the maximum possible resources are allocated to defence in the next multiannual EU budget, whilst also taking into account Ukraine’s needs. “Resilience, defence and security will also be among the main priorities during the Lithuanian Presidency,” he concluded.

The EU “will take part” in the talks on Ukraine due to take place this week in Abu Dhabi. This was announced on social media by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “Freedom of navigation in the Black Sea,” says the President, who is visiting Romania today following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, “must be restored and preserved. I have reiterated my support for his call for a ceasefire that spares food and energy infrastructure.” “We also discussed,” she added, “the ongoing peace efforts and the talks to be held this week in Abu Dhabi, in which the EU will participate alongside our partners. “I look forward to meeting President Zelensky in Dublin later this week to discuss the next steps towards peace with the other leaders,” she concludes.