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Ukraine-Russia-US Talks Wrap First Day as Kushner Says Gaps Are Narrowing
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Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Abu Dhabi for their first US-brokered talks since February, with negotiations focused on ending the war, postwar security arrangements, and de-escalation, Reuters reported on November 10.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led the American delegation, while Ukraine’s delegation was headed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. The Russian delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, according to Reuters.
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Kushner told delegates that recent US contacts with both sides had “really identified, narrowed the gaps,” adding that Washington had developed “some good ideas” for bridging remaining differences.
“He really has asked us to put extra effort into trying to find a solution that hopefully ends the war but also leaves both sides in a much stronger position,” Kushner stated, referring to US President Donald Trump.
In separate remarks carried by Viory, Kushner addressed European concerns over whether Moscow was genuinely prepared to negotiate.
“You know, the question we get asked the most from the Europeans is, are the Russians, and is President Putin really ready for peace?” Kushner stated, according to Viory. “And from what Steve and I have heard from him, we can say very strongly we believe so under the right conditions.”
He added that Russian officials were raising similar questions about Ukraine and Europe.
“And then the Russians ask the same questions of Ukrainians and the Europeans. Are they really genuinely ready for peace?” Kushner stated.
Umerov noted in his opening remarks that Ukraine’s priorities centered on lasting peace and security guarantees, Reuters reported.
We have begun our work in the United Arab Emirates.
— Rustem Umerov (@rustem_umerov) November 10, 2026
The first meeting will be held with representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO and the European Commission, joined by US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. We will align our positions and… pic.twitter.com/NQglshkcdm
Before the trilateral meeting, the Ukrainian delegation met separately with European, NATO, and EU representatives, as well as Kushner and Witkoff.
France emphasized that any durable settlement would require addressing European security and involving European states directly in that process. Russia, however, has opposed European participation in the trilateral format, according to Reuters.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that a broader European security framework should be negotiated before the specific terms of ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“The idea of defining clear parameters for a future security architecture, and only then moving on to resolving the actual Russia-Ukraine conflict, is absolutely reasonable,” Lavrov stated in Moscow.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has taken the opposite position, arguing that broader security negotiations should follow a ceasefire in Ukraine. Lavrov rejected a ceasefire, claiming European governments were seeking additional time for Ukraine.
Reuters noted that major differences remain between Kyiv and Moscow despite the renewed negotiations.
The Kremlin has continued to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of any settlement, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected surrendering territory defended by Ukrainian forces.
A Russian delegation source told Reuters that Moscow expected the talks to focus primarily on establishing the core elements of a new postwar European security framework.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, stated ahead of the talks that recent Ukrainian battlefield gains had strengthened Kyiv’s negotiating position, including the recapture of territory in the Donetsk region.
“Ukrainian forces are currently genuinely strengthening Ukraine’s negotiating position,” Zelenskyy stated in his nightly address.
Reuters reported that US negotiators believe Zelenskyy and Putin could potentially reach a compromise over territory. A senior Ukrainian official rejected the suggestion that Kyiv was considering territorial concessions and emphasized that territorial issues could only be discussed at the leaders’ level and alongside appropriate security guarantees for Ukraine.
The economic track of the negotiations has already moved into practical planning. On November 4, representatives from Ukraine, the US, EU, NATO, and World Bank met in Brussels to develop mechanisms for Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction, private investment, and long-term economic growth.
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