Envoy Witkoff announces resumption of three-way peace negotiations after 9-month hiatus

US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin [UPI]
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin [UPI]

US-brokered peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are set to resume after roughly nine months, with the three countries scheduled to hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Nov. 10-11 to discuss ending the war and establishing a postwar security framework. However, the two countries remain far apart on the terms of a peace deal, leaving the prospects for a genuine breakthrough uncertain.

According to Reuters, US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff announced Monday (local time) on X, formerly Twitter, that "the United States will be facilitating working-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to advance President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war."

Witkoff said the talks would focus on postwar security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian support and future steps toward peace.

Reuters said Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, are expected to serve as the lead US negotiators at the talks.

Ahead of the Abu Dhabi meeting, the US negotiating team will hold working-level meetings this week in Brussels with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the EU and NATO.

Witkoff said the agenda for those meetings would cover security guarantees and reconstruction support for Ukraine, as well as Europe's postwar security architecture.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to resume the three-way ceasefire negotiations after meeting with Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Oct. 21.

Building on that progress, Witkoff said he looks forward to "continuing efforts to reach a comprehensive and lasting peace deal that will ensure enduring security for future generations."

The last US-brokered trilateral talks were held in February, before the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. If the Abu Dhabi meeting proceeds as planned, it will mark the first three-way discussions on ending the conflict in roughly nine months.

The US negotiating team has been working to achieve a breakthrough before winter sets in, and the Abu Dhabi talks are part of that effort, Reuters said.

Russia and Ukraine remain deeply divided over the terms of a peace deal. Still, Trump is ramping up pressure on Ukraine to reach some form of agreement.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com