US envoys say Europe may join Ukraine talks, Russia plays it down

US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and fellow envoy Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on November 12, 2026, after two days of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

What the US envoys said

Witkoff said European representatives would take part in the next round of talks on the Ukraine conflict. He told reporters: "The Europeans will join at the next meeting, which we think is a very big deal, because it’s important, they are our partners and it’s important for them to be involved." He also said: "I think progress was made. I think it was made earlier today." Kushner added that the discussions had been "very fulsome and detailed" on all the topics and would "hopefully" feed into a multilateral format.

Russia’s response

Russian officials did not confirm that Europe would join. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Europeans need to decide whether they want peace or a continuation of the war, adding: "So far, all their practical actions point precisely to the latter." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said no contacts with EU representatives were planned or took place in Abu Dhabi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized European involvement in Abu Dhabi, calling it not a "promising approach."

Next steps

The US envoys traveled to Dublin to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and brief him on the Moscow meeting. EU leaders were set to discuss the Ukraine peace talks on Friday, including the possibility of appointing a special envoy for the diplomatic process. Zelenskyy has asked EU leaders to designate one common representative by the end of the month.

Why it matters

European governments have long pushed for a seat at the negotiating table but have largely been excluded from the trilateral format. The US envoys’ statement suggests a possible shift, while Russian officials’ caution indicates the issue remains unresolved.

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Sources

• politico.eu: Putin open to Europe joining Ukraine peace talks, says Witkoff – POLITICO
• rferl.org: US Envoy Says Europe To Join Next Peace Talks After Putin Meeting
• cnn.com: Witkoff and Kushner to meet Zelensky after talks with Putin, as Ukraine says Starshield restricted again | CNN Politics
• forth.news: Putin lets Europe join Ukraine peace talks, as Kyiv says Starshield disrupted again | Forth
• aol.co.uk: Russia plays down peace talks with Europe after Witkoff raises hopes of breakthrough - AOL

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.