The latest:
Abu Dhabi will host a new round of trilateral peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine on November 10 and 11, US envoy Steve Witkoff announced on November 3. He said the agenda covers post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and next steps toward peace. A senior US official told Reuters that Witkoff and chief negotiator Jared Kushner are expected to represent Washington.
Details:
- The delegations: A senior US official told Reuters that Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the lead American negotiator, are expected to head the US side in Abu Dhabi. The official said the meetings build on recent discussions and reflect President Donald Trump’s continuing push for a durable peace agreement.
- How it came together: Witkoff said on X that the Abu Dhabi round would build on progress made in Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg. According to the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky and Putin each signaled readiness to negotiate after meeting Witkoff in October. Putin agreed to the new round two weeks ago.
- The Brussels track: The US official said American negotiators would meet this week at working level in Brussels with representatives of France, Germany, Britain, the European Union and NATO. The agenda there covers security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe’s future security framework and economic support for Ukrainian reconstruction.
- The technical agenda: Per the Kyiv Independent, technical negotiations are to address a possible ceasefire in the energy and maritime sectors, exchanges of military and civilian prisoners, and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. Zelensky has said one or two technical rounds could pave the way for a trilateral summit.
- The gap: Reuters reported the two sides remain far apart. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected a ceasefire and demanded Kyiv hand over parts of Donetsk and Luhansk that Russian forces have not captured. Ukraine has called instead for a ceasefire along the current front line.
- Kyiv’s red lines: Zelensky said on October 25 that Ukraine’s security guarantees are Ukraine’s own and cannot be dictated by Moscow, adding that limits on the Ukrainian army and Ukrainian neutrality are not open for discussion. He has made strong guarantees a condition of any war-ending deal.
- Washington’s caution: At the G20 foreign ministers meeting on October 31, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not know whether a negotiated peace was achievable in Ukraine and that finding out was the point of the effort. He added that nobody present was claiming a settlement was close.
- The strike: Ukraine’s emergency services said Russian forces bombed a school in Komyshuvakha village, Zaporizhzhia region, on Monday, killing 24 people including two rescuers. Zaporizhzhia city council secretary Rehina Kharchenko said 27 people were missing. Regional police said crews were trying to reach residents believed trapped under rubble.
- Zelensky’s account: Zelensky said on Telegram that Russian aircraft first bombed the school, which was being used to distribute humanitarian aid, then struck again with nine bombs aimed at the shelter where people had gathered. He called it further proof Moscow wants no de-escalation.
- The failed truce: The strike came a day after a six-day ceasefire in Oleshky, in the south-west of Kherson region, expired. US First Lady Melania Trump brokered that truce to allow aid deliveries into the city and the evacuation of residents who wanted to leave.
Background:
The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran. Zelensky and Putin have not held direct talks since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Between the lines:
American negotiators are pressing for a breakthrough before winter, but the two positions on the table are mutually exclusive: Moscow wants territory it has not taken, Kyiv wants the front line frozen. Rubio’s own uncertainty, voiced days before the round was announced, suggests Washington is testing whether a deal exists rather than closing one.
What’s next
The Brussels working-level meeting with European and NATO representatives takes place this week, ahead of the November 10-11 Abu Dhabi round. Zelensky has said one or two technical rounds could open the way to a Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit.
