Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US begin in Abu Dhabi and will last two days

On 10 November, talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US began in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. The meeting is being held in a working format with US mediation and is scheduled for 10 and 11 November.

The start of the talks was reported by the Russian state agency TASS, citing a source. US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff said the three-way talks would take place at the level of working groups.

The main topics, according to a Ukrainian outlet, are an energy ceasefire, that is, a halt to strikes on energy and critical infrastructure, as well as the safety of shipping in the Black Sea.

Witkoff said the US would act as a mediator, and that the discussions would focus on post-war security measures, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and the next steps on the path to peace.

At the same time, Washington is raising the question of Europe's participation. According to the Financial Times, the US wants Russia to agree to a European presence at the talks. A US official told the newspaper that Donald Trump's administration is seeking such consent from Moscow.

According to Politico, Witkoff and Jared Kushner intend to press for direct participation of European representatives as early as the next round. Kushner is a businessman and real estate magnate; Trump appointed him special envoy for peace matters.

Before the three-way meeting began, Kushner and Witkoff were due to hold consultations with European representatives. According to a Ukrainian outlet, the partners in question were from Ukraine, the EU, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.

This is not the first contact between the American envoys and both sides. On 5 September 2026, Witkoff flew to Russia, and on 6 September he met Zelensky in Kyiv together with Kushner. According to them, the Russian side is ready to discuss further progress in the negotiating process. Kushner called his trips to Russia and Ukraine successful.