IRIA News

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U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on November 12, 2026, to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, following two days of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi.

The Moscow meeting resulted in an agreement to continue trilateral contacts involving Ukraine, with discussions expected to address wider European security arrangements and possible European participation in the next round.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting at the Kremlin’s Senate Palace, Witkoff described the discussions as productive and said progress had been made toward restarting direct negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

He also confirmed that another trilateral meeting had been agreed upon, describing the development as consistent with U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure an end to the war.

Witkoff said European representatives would participate in the next stage of discussions, particularly those addressing the continent’s broader security arrangements. He stressed that European countries were partners in the process and should be involved in negotiations that could affect their long-term security.

Moscow Signals Further Talks

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the meeting as substantive, constructive, candid and useful. He said Putin discussed the future of negotiations with the American envoys and reiterated Russia’s proposals for a new European security architecture, first presented to the United States and NATO in 2021.

According to Ushakov, Moscow intends to introduce additional proposals based on its experience during the confrontation with Western countries.

Ushakov also said Russia and the United States had agreed to continue trilateral contacts involving Ukraine. Moscow hopes the American envoys will convey its position to Ukrainian and European representatives during their visit to Dublin, Ireland.

He added that Putin and Trump could discuss the full range of issues surrounding the war when they meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China later this month.

Another issue raised during the Moscow meeting was Putin’s proposal for a humanitarian mission in Kostiantynivka, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Ushakov said Putin had proposed organizing the mission based on previous experience in Oleshky and that Witkoff and Kushner had supported the proposal. The sides agreed to begin contacts on arranging the mission.

Zelenskyy Sees Opportunity for Agreement by Early 2027

Following their meeting with Putin, Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Dublin to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the discussions and present the proposals raised during the negotiations.

Zelenskyy, who was attending the European Political Community summit in the Irish capital, expressed optimism about the diplomatic process. Speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, he said the parties had a window of opportunity to reach an agreement by the beginning of 2027. He also stressed the importance of continued international involvement in the negotiations.

The Dublin visit followed two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11. Although the discussions produced no major breakthrough, Russian and Ukrainian representatives reported progress and agreed on a large-scale prisoner exchange.

Ukrainian delegation member David Arakhamia described the negotiations as having good momentum, while Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said the sides had moved closer to peace.

On November 11, Kushner said the delegations had identified opportunities to make further progress on issues discussed during the negotiations. However, he acknowledged that territorial questions remained among the most difficult issues to resolve.

The main disagreement concerns Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender the entirety of the eastern Donbas region, which Kyiv has firmly rejected. With territorial negotiations remaining deadlocked, U.S. mediators have also sought to advance discussions on post-war security guarantees and reconstruction.

European Leaders Push for Greater Role in Peace Process

European participation is emerging as another important issue in the negotiations. Although Witkoff indicated that European representatives would join the next stage of discussions, Moscow has previously expressed reservations about their direct involvement. Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi, has been skeptical of including European governments in the negotiating process.

European leaders attending the Dublin summit also emphasized that the continent must have a role in decisions concerning Ukraine’s future security.

French President Emmanuel Macron argued that European support remained essential to Ukraine, stating that without Europeans, there would be no support for the country. He also said that the United States was no longer providing support to Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union was preparing its 22nd package of sanctions against Russia, alongside a separate proposal to cover Ukraine’s financial requirements for 2027. She said both proposals would be presented before the next European Council meeting, scheduled for November 26–27 in Brussels.

Von der Leyen stressed that European support for Ukraine would continue during both wartime and peacetime. Ukrainian officials have also urged European governments to maintain pressure on Moscow, arguing that sanctions remain an important instrument in strengthening Kyiv’s position in negotiations.

The United Kingdom separately announced new measures targeting Russia’s 10 largest oil producers. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the restrictions were intended to reduce Russian oil revenues and increase economic pressure on the Kremlin.

Zelenskyy Raises Concerns Over Restrictions on Starshield

Alongside the diplomatic discussions, Zelenskyy raised concerns about restrictions affecting Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade satellite communications service developed for the U.S. government. He said Ukrainian forces were facing systematic speed restrictions on Starshield-equipped systems, affecting their ability to intercept Russian drones and defend against attacks.

Zelenskyy warned that the restrictions could give Russian forces an advantage by making it easier to conduct more accurate strikes against Ukraine. He said Kyiv was seeking clarification from the U.S. government over the situation.

Starshield is SpaceX’s government-focused satellite communications service, built on the Starlink network and designed for military and other government applications. Satellite connectivity has become important to Ukrainian forces, particularly for battlefield communications, drone operations and coordination of military activities.

The issue adds another complication to U.S.-Ukraine relations as Washington continues its efforts to negotiate an end to the war. Zelenskyy’s concerns come as the United States is simultaneously engaging Moscow and Kyiv in negotiations over a possible settlement.

The next round of trilateral negotiations is expected to build on the discussions in Abu Dhabi and Moscow, with territorial disagreements, security guarantees, and European participation remaining among the central issues.