Witkoff Announces Ukraine-Russia Talks in Abu Dhabi

Steve Witkoff announced that the United States will mediate working-level talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, as Washington pursues negotiations to end the war. The announcement sets a schedule and agenda for the meeting; it does not establish that the talks will take place or produce an agreement. Witkoff said the discussions in the United Arab Emirates would address postwar security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and next steps toward peace. The announcement followed diplomatic contacts in Kyiv, Oslo and St. Petersburg, which Witkoff said the new effort would build on. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to represent the United States in Abu Dhabi. The Kremlin had not confirmed the exact schedule, according to reports, although Russian foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov had said Moscow was prepared in principle to resume trilateral negotiations around November 10. The proposed talks come amid unresolved differences over the terms of a settlement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine would not accept restrictions on its armed forces or neutrality as conditions for...