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U.S.-Mediated Talks Resume Between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi

Updated 5:12 PM ET · 3:44 AM ETConfirmedShare via:          

World Desk

In Short: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France and European allies will participate in the upcoming US-mediated talks with Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11.

Bus, Abu Dhabi (IMG 20230812 134121).

U.S.-mediated Russia-Ukraine peace talks resume in Abu Dhabi. ABC News

U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the resumption of trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10, aimed at ending Moscow's war against Ukraine.

The talks, mediated by the United States, covered post-war security agreements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures, and ending the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the new round of talks after meeting with Witkoff in St. Petersburg.

The first day of talks concluded after nearly four hours, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating the discussions were constructive and substantive.

The talks also focused on humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian civilians in captivity.

The EU has generally been reluctant to talk directly to Russia since the conflict began in 2022, but leaders of Norway and Finland recently spoke directly with Putin.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• The last US-mediated peace talks took place in ‌February before the ‌United States and Israel launched ​a ‌war ⁠against ​Iran.
• American Military Project director Will Thibeau provides his analysis on the developments during 'Fox & Friends First.' U.S. officials will mediate a new round of talks between Ukraine and Russia next week with the goal of delivering "lasting security for generations to come," U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Monday.
• On Oct. 23, Peskov, spokesperson for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, said trilateral talks involving delegations from Ukraine, the United States and Russia were planned for Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, although no exact date had been set.
• As three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States get underway in the United Arab Emirates, top G7 diplomats are meeting Tuesday with Ukraine’s foreign minister in France.
• Meanwhile in Abu Dhabi, Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be meeting Russian and Ukrainian officials in part to persuade Moscow to agree to broader negotiations that would include key European officials on how to end nearly five years of war.
• ABU DHABI: US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine on ending more than four years of war opened in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, with Washington calling for a “new” security framework, as Europe fears US President Donald Trump plans a deal with Moscow on the continent’s future.
• The first day of US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi was “constructive and quite substantive”, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

What's still developing

• Witkoff, ⁠in a social media post, said the new Abu Dhabi discussions will cover “post-war security agreements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures, and ending the war.” Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the lead US negotiators, are expected to represent the US in Abu ⁠Dhabi, a senior US official told Reuters.
• The planned talks come amid intensified Russian and Ukrainian strikes on each other's territory, including attacks targeting energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
• The talks come amid a complicated moment in US relations with both Ukraine and Russia.
• Moscow has frequently accused European governments of stoking the war by arming Ukraine and refusing direct talks.
• The Kremlin said after the Putin-Witkoff talks that Russia was willing to resume U.S.-mediated peace talks with Ukraine in November, for the first time since February. (Reporting by Essi Lehto and Mark Trevelyan, editing by Louise Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Alexandra Hudson) By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners.
• Before contacting the Russian president, they held consultations with Ukraine to convey its position on the upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
• The Finnish presidential office stressed that the purpose of the call was to convey Ukraine’s position directly to Putin ahead of the next stage of peace talks.
• Rubio said the U.S. has no objection to eventual European involvement in the direct talks, but that it wasn’t yet time.
• For the first time since February, Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators are scheduled to hold talks on ending the full-scale war that is nearing the five-year mark, with security guarantees topping the agenda.
• The two-day session in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, will focus on establishing future security guarantees for the warring countries, the White House said before the discussions.
• Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff will push the case for Europe to have a direct role in future talks as they mediate the first trilateral discussion with Russia and Ukraine since February in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the officials said.

Sources

• ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videoslink
• Arabnewslink
• BBClink
• CBClink
• Englishlink
• Fox Newslink
• Hürriyet Daily Newslink
• Kyiv Postlink
• Kyivindependentlink
• NPRlink
• PBSlink
• TRT Worldlink
• The Nationallink
• VOV Worldlink
• Warpbeatlink
• politico.eulink
• ABC News — video link
• FRANCE 24 English — video link
• Associated Press — video link
• WPLG Local 10 — video link
• Associated Press — video link
• NBC News — video link