President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Thursday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin following trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
The trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States resumed on November 10, 2026, in Abu Dhabi. This was the first direct contact between Moscow and Kyiv in nine months. The discussions produced no major diplomatic breakthrough on territory. But Kushner announced an agreement in principle on a large-scale humanitarian prisoner exchange.
President Trump today advanced an important discussion with several European leaders about the need for a broader European security architecture that can help establish the conditions for lasting peace. Building on his leadership and the substantive work undertaken this week in… https://t.co/jZ9uAQnkd4
“One of the positives was that we agreed that we’re going to have the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners — we’re gonna finalize the numbers tomorrow,” Kushner said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Dublin that the proposed exchange could involve between 1,000 and 1,200 people on each side, according to Oilprice.
.@SEPeaceMissions, @jaredkushner, and I met in Ireland following all the negotiations held this week. First, a humanitarian outcome – prisoners will be released, and we are counting on the largest prisoner exchange since the start of this war. The second outcome – we are… pic.twitter.com/C7VvLrCnNR
The Abu Dhabi sessions involved Russian deputy foreign ministers Sergei Ryabkov and Mikhail Galuzin. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, and general staff member Yuri Zhigarlovsky also attended, according to TASS.
Representatives from the European Commission, the European Council, NATO, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy attended the meetings on the sidelines. Following the sessions, Kushner posted to X on Wednesday that the exchange would reunite families.
Following the Abu Dhabi sessions, Witkoff and Kushner traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin in the Kremlin. Putin warned U.S. negotiators that Russia would target any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine. He insisted on full control over four Ukrainian regions, The Guardian reported.
The Russian delegation in the Kremlin included Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov. Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky also took part.
The Russian team included the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign States, alongside other officials.
During the talks, Putin proposed a joint Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian mission to Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine. He asserted that Moscow controlled the area.
After leaving Moscow, the U.S. envoys flew to Dublin to debrief Zelenskyy. Kushner told reporters at an air base that European representatives must join the next round of negotiations.
“We cannot conclude this deal without Europeans being at the table,” Kushner said.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Europe will participate in subsequent talks, noting that the involvement is essential because the war is taking place in Europe. Witkoff confirmed upon boarding his departing plane that European representatives would join the next round as partners.
More than 45 European leaders gathered in Dublin for the European Political Community summit. “We already have a European security architecture in place,” European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Kaja Kallas told reporters. She pointed to the Cold War-era Helsinki Accords and the Budapest Memorandum, which guaranteed the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
British prime minister Andy Burnham said national security adviser Jonathan Powell would join the talks in Berlin.
“National security adviser Jonathan Powell will join the talks in Berlin,” Burnham said.
Earlier coverage: Europe to Join Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Following Trump Envoys Visit
