Trump’s Two Envoys Meet Putin After Ukraine Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi

U.S. President Donald Trump’s two special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday as part of renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting followed two days of U.S.-mediated talks involving representatives from Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi. The discussions ended on Wednesday, November 11, with no major breakthrough on ending the war.

Russia and Ukraine reportedly reached an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange. Officials are expected to determine the exact number of prisoners involved. The Moscow meeting is part of the Trump administration’s latest diplomatic effort to bring the nearly four-year conflict to an end. Witkoff and Kushner were involved in discussions aimed at finding common ground between Moscow and Kyiv.

Despite the renewed diplomatic activity, several major disagreements remain. The future of Ukrainian territory, particularly the Donbas region, continues to be a key obstacle. Ukraine is also seeking security guarantees to prevent another Russian attack. The role of European countries in any potential peace agreement remains another point of disagreement.

Although the Abu Dhabi discussions produced progress on a possible prisoner exchange, they did not result in an agreement to stop the fighting. The U.S. envoys were also expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following their talks in Moscow. The latest meetings highlight Washington’s efforts to keep diplomatic negotiations moving. However, it remains unclear whether the discussions will lead to a lasting peace agreement.