US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine. Their visit follows two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, where Russia and Ukraine agreed to prepare a prisoner exchange but remained divided over territory.
Prisoner exchange on the agenda
Kirill Dmitriev, a Putin envoy, greeted Kushner and Witkoff at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport ahead of their meeting with the Russian president. Kushner said the pair would review the proposals discussed in Abu Dhabi and seek to settle details of the prisoner exchange and other humanitarian measures.
The Abu Dhabi meetings were the first talks involving US, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators since February. The delegations also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, including how to deter a renewed attack after any settlement. US mediators said significant differences remained over territorial questions. The sides announced no ceasefire when the talks ended on Wednesday.
US seeks a role for Europe
Kushner said he would ask Putin to agree to European participation in future negotiations. Moscow has so far favoured keeping the talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that European countries must be represented.
After Moscow, the US envoys plan to travel to Dublin to brief Zelenskyy and discuss proposals raised in Abu Dhabi. The Ukrainian president is due to attend a meeting of the European Political Community in the Irish capital.
Attacks continue ahead of the meeting
Explosions were heard in Kyiv early on Thursday, and a regional official said strikes damaged energy and civilian infrastructure in western Ukraine’s Rivne region. Russia’s defence ministry said it had targeted military and energy facilities in Ukraine. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had intercepted five drones heading towards the Russian capital.
Newshub Editorial in Europe – 12 November 2026
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine. Their visit follows two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, where Russia and Ukraine agreed to prepare a prisoner exchange but remained divided over territory.
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