Kyiv Plans Wartime Extension as Abu Dhabi Talks Loom

Kyiv, October 26

As the war with Russia grinds on, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has put forward a bill to extend martial law and general military mobilization for an additional 90 days. The draft was tabled in parliament on Monday.

If approved by lawmakers, the wartime measures will continue until January 29, 2027, instead of ending on October 31, according to the Ukrainian parliament's press service. Both arrangements have been extended several times since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready to freeze the conflict along current front lines if it would help bring the fighting to an end. However, he insisted that Ukraine will not give up any part of its territory.

In a separate interview, Zelensky said he was open to a ceasefire but would not accept any demand that Ukraine cede 25 percent of its land.

He also highlighted worries over a recent drop in US military aid. According to Zelensky, Ukraine received only 24 interceptor missiles from America over the past three months for its Patriot air defence system, against a monthly requirement of about 350. He added that 30 ballistic missiles struck Kyiv on Thursday night alone.

US media reports suggest that Washington is intensifying efforts to persuade Zelensky to make concessions toward a peace deal. President Donald Trump has on several occasions held Kyiv responsible for the lack of progress in US-mediated talks.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The discussions will centre on the security arrangements of Russia and Ukraine after a possible peace agreement.

Zelensky has confirmed that Ukraine is ready to take part in the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi next month. The proposed talks are being seen as a key step toward ending the conflict and achieving a lasting settlement.