U.S., Russia and Ukraine to resume peace talks in Abu Dhabi next week, Witkoff says

The U.S., Russia and Ukraine will hold peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11 in an effort to reach a breakthrough on a deal for ending the war. Why it matters: U.S. officials say the meeting to restart a diplomatic effort suspended in February due to the war in Iran is a result of talks Presidnt Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks. The White House hopes Putin will be more willing to compromise after Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Russian diesel sales and took other steps welcomed by Moscow. So far, Putin's only apparent concession is agreeing to resume talks. The parties remain far apart, particularly over territory. Russia's escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities and Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire casts doubt on prospects for progress. Zelensky said on Monday Ukraine has intelligence that Russia is preparing another massive attack against its energy and logistics facilities on Tuesday "when the world will be watching the American midterms". Driving the news: Kushner and Witkoff will lead to U.S. delegation for the talks in Abu Dhabi. "Discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace," Witkoff said in a statement. Witkoff added that lower-level U.S. officials will meet this week in Brussels with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the EU, and NATO to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe's post-war security architecture, and economic opportunities to support Ukraine's reconstruction. "We look forward to building on the progress made in Kyiv, Oslo, and St. Petersburg toward a comprehensive, durable peace agreement that delivers lasting security for generations to come," Witkoff said.

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