Kushner, Witkoff Head to Moscow
US envoys will meet Putin before flying to Dublin to discuss Ukraine security terms with Zelensky.
By Amina Howard ·
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, November 12. The pair will then travel to Dublin that same night to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. These meetings mark the latest step in Washington’s mediation efforts regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.
The envoys are expected to renew President Donald Trump’s request for Russia to draft a new security agreement with Europe. This proposed arrangement would include measures designed to lower tensions between Russia and other European nations. Previously, Washington opposed Russian demands to reduce NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe. Reports indicate the US administration is now more receptive to those demands as it seeks to end the conflict.
European governments remain wary of the administration’s approach to a potential deal. Many express distrust regarding how the US is handling the negotiations. The current diplomatic push follows initial discussions held earlier this week in Abu Dhabi. Russian and Ukrainian officials met with US mediators there for the first time since February.
President Trump told reporters he sees a strong willingness to end the conflict. He pointed to the US role in the process and noted that both sides are tired of fighting. Kushner described the Abu Dhabi exchanges afterward as pretty tough. A source close to the talks said the atmosphere was initially tense but became more constructive after each party presented its positions.
A US official told Reuters that negotiations will require time. The official expressed cautious optimism that progress is possible, noting that both sides are privately indicating scope for compromise. Any agreement on territory would likely come near the end of negotiations. That would happen after other matters, including postwar security arrangements, are settled.
Last week, Trump stated he held a private meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy. He suggested an agreement to resolve the conflict could be reached soon. In remarks at the White House, he claimed the war was nearing settlement and said bringing it to an end could involve all of Europe. Trump pledged to help end the conflict when he took office in 2025.
