OddsFrontWitkoff says US will mediate Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11
US envoy Steve Witkoff announced a new round of working-level negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow in the UAE next week, the first US-brokered round since February, while the two sides remain far apart on territory.
The United States will mediate a fresh round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi next week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Monday. The talks are set for November 10 and 11 in the United Arab Emirates.
Witkoff wrote on X that Washington would broker working-level negotiations as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to end the war, Fox News reported. He said the agenda would include security arrangements for the period after the war, de-escalation, humanitarian measures and further steps toward peace.
Who will attend
A senior US official told Reuters that Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the lead American negotiators, are expected to represent Washington. Axios described Kushner and Witkoff as heading the US delegation.
Reuters said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to another trilateral round after he met Witkoff in St Petersburg two weeks ago. The last US-mediated talks took place in February, shortly before the United States and Israel started a war against Iran. Axios reported that this war was the reason the diplomatic track was suspended.
Europeans to be consulted first
Before the Abu Dhabi meetings, American negotiators will hold talks this week in Brussels with representatives of France, Germany, Britain, the European Union and NATO. According to Witkoff, those discussions will address security guarantees for Ukraine, the future security architecture of Europe and economic opportunities linked to Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Witkoff said Washington wanted to build on progress made in Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg and work toward a durable agreement.
Gaps remain
Axios said the White House hopes Putin will show more flexibility after Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Russian diesel sales and took other steps Moscow welcomed. So far, the outlet noted, Putin’s only apparent concession is consenting to resume talks, and the parties remain far apart, above all over territory. Reuters added that Trump has lately stepped up pressure on Ukraine to accept some form of deal.
Russia’s intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities and Putin’s refusal to accept a ceasefire cast doubt on progress, Axios wrote. It also cited Zelensky as saying on Monday that Ukraine has intelligence of another large Russian strike planned for Tuesday against energy and logistics facilities, timed for when the world is watching the American midterms.
Trump said last month that efforts to settle the war were perhaps the closest they had been, according to Fox News.
On Polymarket, traders now put the chance of Russia-Ukraine peace talks taking place by November 30 at 89%, up from 69% a day earlier.