The United States will bring together Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 for a new round of negotiations aimed at ending the war, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announced Monday, as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to secure a breakthrough before winter.
The discussions will focus on "post-war security agreements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures, and ending the war," Witkoff said in a social media post. He and Jared Kushner, who are leading the U.S. negotiating effort, are expected to represent Washington at the talks, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.
Russia and Ukraine to resume US-led peace talks next week in Abu Dhabi
(Photo: REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina, REUTERS/Gleb Garanich, AFP, Oleg Petrasiuk/Press Service of the 24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handout via REUTERS)
The announcement follows an agreement by Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume trilateral negotiations after meeting Witkoff in St. Petersburg two weeks ago. The meeting was part of the latest U.S. effort to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
The previous round of U.S.-mediated peace negotiations took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran. Washington has since renewed its efforts to bring Moscow and Kyiv back to the negotiating table, although the two sides remain deeply divided over the terms of any potential settlement.
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi meeting, American negotiators will hold working-level discussions in Brussels this week with representatives of France, Germany, Britain, the European Union and NATO. The meetings will address "Ukraine’s security guarantees, Europe’s future security framework, and economic support for Ukraine’s reconstruction," the senior U.S. official said.
The official said the consultations build on recent diplomatic discussions and "reflect President Trump’s continued efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine."
Despite the renewed diplomatic push, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on the conditions for ending the war. Trump has recently increased pressure on Ukraine to reach an agreement, but significant obstacles remain to any settlement.