US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Russia and Ukraine will hold negotiations in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 to discuss security and de-escalation.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
The United States will host Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 for a new round of negotiations aimed at ending the war, according to an announcement by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff stated in a social media post that the discussions will focus on "post-war security agreements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures, and ending the war."
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to represent Washington at the talks, according to a senior U.S. official. This diplomatic push follows an agreement by Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume trilateral negotiations after meeting Witkoff in St. Petersburg two weeks ago.
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi meeting, American negotiators are scheduled to hold working-level discussions in Brussels this week. These meetings will include representatives from France, Germany, Britain, the European Union, and NATO. According to a senior U.S. official, these consultations will address "Ukraine’s security guarantees, Europe’s future security framework, and economic support for Ukraine’s reconstruction."
The previous round of U.S.-mediated peace negotiations took place in February, prior to the United States and Israel launching a war against Iran. While Washington has renewed efforts to bring Moscow and Kyiv back to the negotiating table, the two sides remain deeply divided over the terms of any potential settlement.
In the context of ongoing hostilities, Russian forces bombed a school used as an aid distribution point in the Zaporizhzhia region on Monday. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the country’s emergency services reported that 26 people were killed in the strike. "The Russians struck first just as people were arriving – a few aerial bombs," Zelenskyy said, describing the event as a "vile terrorist strike."
Separately, London and Paris announced that approximately 2,800 troops from 10 European countries will stage the first exercise of a new multinational force in support of Ukraine in Poland this month. Led by France and the UK, the "Multinational Force – Ukraine" (MNF-U) is scheduled to run from November 9-22 in south-east Poland.
According to a statement from the French defence ministry, the exercise is intended to test "the speed and efficiency at which several nations can deploy forces on land, sea and air to support Ukraine once hostilities have finished." UK defence minister Wes Streeting stated, "This isn’t a hypothetical plan, it’s a real force, ready to help Ukraine once the fighting stops."
Ukraine has accused Russia of taking advantage of a recent US-backed humanitarian ceasefire in the southern Kherson region to strengthen its military position. While both sides reportedly praised a six-day pause in fighting around the town of Oleshky, Kyiv’s general staff stated on Monday that Russian forces used the truce to rotate troops, boost defences, and improve battlefield logistics.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated he did not have specific information regarding these movements, but noted that adjusting positions during a ceasefire is "standard practice" and suggested it was safe to assume Ukraine had done the same.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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