U.S.-Mediated Ukraine Peace Talks to Resume in Abu Dhabi Next Week, Witkoff Says

Nov. 3, 2026 U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Sputnik / Gavriil Grigorov / Pool via REUTERS The United States will bring together delegates from Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi next week to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Monday. In a post on X, Witkoff said the United States will "mediate working-level negotiations" on Nov. 10 and 11 to advance "Trump's mission to end the war." He said the talks will "focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and next steps toward peace." Witkoff added that American negotiators also plan to meet with French, German, British, EU and NATO representatives in Brussels this week to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, which would be part of Europe's broader post-war security framework. "We look forward to building on the progress made in Kyiv, Oslo and St. Petersburg toward a comprehensive, durable peace agreement that delivers lasting security for generations to come," he wrote. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are expected to represent the U.S. in Abu Dhabi. The Kremlin has not yet confirmed when the next round of peace negotiations is scheduled to take place. Witkoff, who has engaged in a frenzy of shuttle diplomacy on both the wars in Ukraine and Iran in recent months, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg last month to restart talks to end the war. Following that meeting, Russian officials said a new round of trilateral negotiations would take place in Abu Dhabi sometime in November. U.S. President Donald Trump has so far struggled to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. In recent weeks, he has leveled increasingly harsh criticism at Zelensky while claiming Putin is interested in signing an agreement. Zelensky has resisted pressure from the White House to turn over his country's land in exchange for peace with Russia, arguing that doing so would only encourage further Russian aggression. Putin, meanwhile, continues to demand that Ukraine cede full control of the partially occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine as a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement — a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Ukraine war , United States , Peace Talks Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Kremlin Says U.S. Peace Plan Wasn’t Discussed in Abu Dhabi as Trump Sends Envoy to Moscow President Donald Trump said there were “only a few remaining points of disagreement” in a draft plan for ending the war in Ukraine. 3 Min read Vance Tells Russia and Ukraine to Accept Peace Terms or Risk U.S. Abandoning Talks The vice president admitted that the U.S. peace plan would require both Russia and Ukraine to “give up some of the territory they currently own.” 2 Min read 3 Ways Trump's Victory Will Impact the Russian Economy At least from an economic point of view, there are no good omens for a second Trump administration. 4 Min read Kremlin Officials Hope Trump Will Hand Putin an Advantage in Ukraine – and Europe Senior officials in the Kremlin, the Russian government and the Foreign Ministry are expressing cautious optimism about Trump’s victory in private. 5 Min read