Kushner and Witkoff arrive in Moscow for Putin talks on Ukraine

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, arrived in Moscow on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after two days of U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, according to the Associated Press, ABC News, Anadolu Agency, Interfax and TASS. As of Thursday morning ET, news organizations reported the envoys’ arrival and that they were going to the Kremlin; a formal readout of the Putin meeting had not been independently confirmed.

The Abu Dhabi sessions produced an agreement on a large exchange of prisoners, AP reported, with final numbers to be confirmed Thursday, according to Kushner. There was no announced breakthrough on ending the war. ABC News said the two days of talks “did not appear to produce a breakthrough” on the core diplomatic issues.

What happened in Abu Dhabi?

The Abu Dhabi meetings were the first direct or trilateral discussions between Russian and Ukrainian officials in nine months, AP reported, with the two-day round concluding Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the United Arab Emirates’ capital. The talks produced agreement on a large exchange of prisoners, with precise numbers still being worked out. “One of the positives is we agreed that we’re going to have the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners, and we’re going to finalize the numbers tomorrow,” Kushner said Wednesday, according to Anadolu. In a post on X cited by ABC News, he said the exchange “will reunite families, build trust, and create momentum toward peace.” Russian state news agency TASS confirmed that a “large-scale” prisoner exchange had been agreed, POLITICO reported.

Despite that humanitarian step, ABC News reported that two days of negotiations “did not appear to produce a breakthrough” on central questions that would end the war. Kushner described the sessions as “substantive” and “pretty tough” but “a good first step” after a nine-month break, adding that the question of territory “will be the hardest” to resolve, POLITICO reported. In his X post cited by ABC, Kushner said: “Bringing Ukraine and Russia back together for the first trilateral talks since February was an important step. The discussions were serious, detailed, and frank. Both countries shared specific ideas to narrow the gaps and find a path to end the war,” while acknowledging that “significant differences remain.”

Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, echoed that view, saying: “Over these two days, the parties were able to state their positions directly, and significant differences remain between them,” according to Kyiv Post. Kyiv Post, citing Russian state media, also reported that Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, ruled out territorial exchanges as part of a settlement. That position was attributed by Kyiv Post to Russian state media; it was not presented as a U.S. or Ukrainian confirmation.

NewsCubby previously reported on the opening of the Abu Dhabi round, when security guarantees dominated the agenda, and on the planned second day of talks.

What are the envoys asking of Putin?

Kushner told POLITICO he and Witkoff would seek Putin’s “blessing” for European representatives to join future Ukraine peace talks. “We need to have the Europeans at the table,” Kushner said. “We have relayed to President Putin directly several times and to his team that the only way to get this done is to have them by our side and I think they are receptive to it.” He added: “I believe that hopefully tomorrow in Moscow, Steve and I will be successful and President Putin will give the blessing for that to occur.”

Kushner said European participation is critical for discussions over revising the future security architecture of Europe — a longstanding Russian demand, POLITICO noted, and one that has raised concerns among some European officials. POLITICO, citing officials who took part in the Abu Dhabi talks, also reported that the envoys planned to agree on the date of the next round of negotiations.

Key issues that remain unresolved, ABC News reported, include the fate of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory in the east and southeast, the shape of security guarantees to prevent renewed aggression, Ukraine’s ambition to join NATO, and the size and capabilities of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, described as Putin’s special representative and the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, greeted Witkoff and Kushner at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, Interfax reported; Anadolu, ABC News and Kyiv Post cited that account. TASS confirmed a convoy carrying Dmitriev, Witkoff and Kushner left the airport after they landed, Anadolu reported. ABC News said Dmitriev has been involved in revived U.S.-Russian contacts since Trump returned to office in January 2025.

What has Zelenskyy said about territory?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Dublin alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin ahead of a meeting of the European Political Community, rejected ceding territory in the Donbas. “The American side very often raises the topic of Donbas, part of our Ukrainian land,” he said. “They think that to end this war, we have to leave our territory. It’s impossible to talk this way with us, with an independent, sovereign country,” Kyiv Post reported.

On the Moscow visit, Zelenskyy said: “The Americans flew to Putin with concrete proposals. I would very much like them to return to Dublin with concrete answers. I don’t really believe they will. Let me be the skeptic on this team. But there is still hope.” He added: “It depends on the willingness of the American side to pressure Russia or not.”

Zelenskyy also pressed for U.S. security guarantees. “We need security guarantees from America, not from Russia,” he said. “I think it more depends on the US, on their will, because they are leaders of security.” On Europe’s role, Zelenskyy emphasized: “This war is in Ukraine, this war is in Europe, and ending this war without Europe’s participation would be unfair and, frankly, impossible,” urging European leaders to choose representatives before the end of November.

He said the Abu Dhabi talks also addressed proposals for a broader ceasefire, including halting attacks on energy facilities, critical infrastructure, and targets at sea, but “The Russian side says it has no mandate to answer these questions,” with the American delegation agreeing to raise unresolved issues with Putin, Kyiv Post reported. Sensitive questions, he said, if they are to be decided and not merely discussed, need to be addressed at the level of leaders.

What has the Kremlin said?

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Thursday that he had held preliminary consultations with Witkoff and Kushner before their meeting with Putin, TASS and RIA Novosti reported. “Today, we will discuss issues that would lead to resolving the crisis surrounding Ukraine,” Ushakov said, according to TASS. Asked whether the sides had a coordinated position going into the Kremlin, he said: “Nothing has been worked out yet. The main meeting with the Russian president will be held soon.” Ushakov also said the European Union was struggling to choose a single negotiator for future talks: “I think this is really going to be difficult. They have been unable to do that so far.”

What comes after Moscow?

Kushner said he and Witkoff would travel to Dublin after Moscow to brief Zelenskyy and explore ideas from the negotiations, according to Anadolu, ABC News and POLITICO. As of Thursday morning, ABC News reported they were expected to go to Dublin later Thursday, while NPR said U.S. negotiators would meet Putin on Thursday and Zelenskyy on Friday. Both timelines were reported; details may evolve as the schedule firms up.

What’s next

• Confirmation of prisoner-exchange numbers is expected Thursday, as indicated by Kushner.
• The U.S. envoys aim to secure Putin’s assent to bring European representatives into future rounds, and to set a date for the next session, POLITICO reported.
• Negotiators will continue to grapple with core questions: territory, security guarantees, NATO aspirations, and Ukraine’s future force structure, per ABC News.
• The envoys intend to brief Zelenskyy in Dublin, with timing reported variously by ABC News and NPR.

As of Thursday morning ET, a formal readout from the Kremlin meeting had not been independently confirmed. NewsCubby will continue to follow developments.

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