US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday following two days of discussions with Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, as Washington seeks to advance efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Kushner described the latest round of negotiations as “very substantive” but acknowledged that the discussions had been difficult after nearly eight months without direct engagement between the sides.
He said that the meeting with Putin would provide an opportunity for review. “We’re going to go over what was discussed today and try to make progress on some of the issues that we discussed,” Kushner said.
The US envoys are expected to travel to Dublin afterwards to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will be attending the European Political Community summit alongside European leaders.
Kushner said that the meeting would allow the American representatives to brief Zelenskyy on their discussions with Moscow and examine proposals emerging from the negotiations.
The diplomatic engagements form part of Washington’s efforts to build momentum towards a possible settlement, although major disagreements remain over territorial questions, postwar security arrangements and the participation of European countries.
US Seeks Humanitarian Progress And Prisoner Release
Kushner stated that the United States hoped to make progress on humanitarian arrangements during the planned meeting with Putin, including preparations for what he described as the “biggest humanitarian release of prisoners.”
He said that Washington was working to finalise humanitarian relief measures and advance a possible prisoner exchange, which has emerged as one of the more immediate areas of discussion between the parties.
In his assessment of the Abu Dhabi negotiations, Kushner identified postwar security, security guarantees, deconfliction and the monitoring of any future ceasefire as key issues.
However, he acknowledged that territorial questions would present the greatest difficulty. “The territorial issues … will be the hardest,” he said.
Kushner also recognised the lack of trust between Moscow and Kyiv, describing it as an expected consequence of the conflict. “There is no trust between the sides and that’s to be expected after a conflict like this,” he said, adding that he hoped the negotiations could help make progress towards addressing the problem.
He suggested that a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy could be useful in advancing the discussions, although he acknowledged that Moscow wanted further progress before such a meeting could take place.
“Clearly, there’s not great trust or love between the leaders, so I think that if we can find a pathway to arrange … these deals do take time.”
Jared Kushner
Kushner Pushes For European Participation
The role of European countries in the negotiations also featured prominently in Kushner’s remarks, as Washington considers expanding the current format to include European representatives.
He said that the United States was working to bring European countries into the process so that future discussions could become more multilateral.
Kushner praised existing consultations with European partners, including the European Union, NATO, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
He argued that European involvement was essential because any agreement on Ukraine’s future security would have direct implications for the continent. He also said he hoped Putin would support expanding the negotiating format during their meeting in Moscow.
Zelenskyy Insists Europe Must Be At The Table
Zelenskyy has also called for European countries to be included in every stage of the diplomatic process, arguing that decisions affecting Ukraine’s future cannot be made without their participation.
In a statement posted on X after receiving a briefing on the Abu Dhabi negotiations, the Ukrainian President outlined three areas covered during the discussions.
“First, there is an important humanitarian arrangement regarding preparations for a new exchange. Second, the parties discussed their views on guaranteeing security, and it is necessary that the first step be ending this war and providing security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Third, broader formats for further work involving the Europeans were discussed. Next, the American representatives are heading to Russia, and after those talks, we will coordinate our positions once again and determine what next steps are possible. We are meeting with them tomorrow in Dublin.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine’s priority is to end the war as soon as possible with a dignified peace. “We believe that Europe must be represented at every stage of real diplomacy,” he added.
He also called on Washington to maintain pressure on Moscow, arguing that the United States should use its influence to persuade Russia to end the war.
“It is essential that the United States have a strong position and exert influence on the source of this war – that is Russia – so that Russia ends the war of its own making,” he added.
The latest discussions have opened further diplomatic channels between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington, but the positions of the parties remain far apart on some of the most consequential questions.
The planned meeting between the US envoys and Putin could provide an indication of whether Moscow is prepared to consider broader negotiations involving European partners.
The subsequent meeting with Zelenskyy in Dublin is expected to allow Washington and Kyiv to review the outcome of the Moscow discussions and coordinate their next steps.
While humanitarian arrangements and prisoner exchanges could offer opportunities for limited progress, territorial disagreements and the question of security guarantees remain central obstacles to a comprehensive settlement.
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