Volodymyr Zelensky spent ninety minutes on Wednesday hashing out the fine print of a potential peace with two of Donald Trump’s closest envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, just days before the first trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States in nearly nine months. The conversation, which Zelensky described on X as “very detailed,” signals that Kyiv is moving at “full throttle” to end a war now grinding through its fifth year, even as questions swirl about whether Washington will ultimately stand with Ukraine or sideline it in favor of Moscow.
The timing could hardly be more urgent. Negotiators from the three nations are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10 and 11—the first gathering of all three sides since February. The talks arrive as Russian forces continue to press attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with Zelensky warning that Moscow is seeking to launch new strikes targeting the country’s “energy and logistics” networks. Witkoff announced the Abu Dhabi dates on Monday, framing them as a push to end the conflict as it approaches its five-year mark since Russia’s full-scale invasion. For Ukraine, the talks in Abu Dhabi center on the postwar security guarantees Zelensky has called for.
We just had a very detailed, hour-and-a-half-long conversation with Steve Witkoff @SEPeaceMissions and Jared Kushner @jaredkushner. We are preparing for a trilateral format at the team level between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia – to take place in less than a week.… pic.twitter.com/GEyuacw9am
Madrid or Brussels: Pinning Down the Call
Details about Wednesday’s conversation differ slightly between outlets. rte.ie reported that Zelensky made his remarks during a visit to Madrid, while The Hill placed the meeting in Brussels, where teams from the U.S., European Union, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, NATO, the World Bank and representatives of the global business community had gathered to focus on postwar recovery. Either way, the substance was clear: Ukraine is ready to take “the necessary steps” to end the conflict, and its proposals—particularly around air defense—have already been handed to the American side. “Our proposals are clear, and we have given them to the American side,” Zelensky wrote, adding that there would be another meeting in Brussels the following day specifically on security guarantees for Ukraine.
Melania Trump Enters the Diplomatic Arena
Adding an unusual layer to the diplomatic push, Melania Trump is set to host representatives from both Russia and Ukraine at the White House, her office confirmed, though no specific date has been set. Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova would meet the first lady “provided that all logistical arrangements work out,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. On the Ukrainian side, human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets announced he would also travel to Washington, publicly asking on Facebook: “If you could convey a single message to US First Lady Melania Trump, what would you say to her?”
Melania Trump’s involvement builds on her recent role in brokering a localized truce in Oleshky on the southern front, which allowed residents suffering weeks of food and medicine shortages to evacuate. The rare halt in fighting, respected by both sides, enabled roads to be demolished and civilians to depart for either Ukraine or Russia. Zelensky has since awarded Melania Trump a national honor for her part in securing that partial ceasefire, signaling Kyiv’s willingness to engage with unconventional diplomatic channels even as formal negotiations proceed.
Patriot Missiles and Cast-Iron Guarantees
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine needs Patriot missile systems to “protect lives from Russian attacks,” and The Hill reported that the Brussels meeting focused heavily on postwar recovery and economic opportunities to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. “Peace has no alternative, and postwar security guarantees must be truly cast-iron,” Zelensky wrote, adding that Kyiv is working with the U.S. “on each of the bilateral tracks.” The message to Washington is unambiguous: Ukraine wants more than promises; it wants hardware and enforceable commitments as the war enters its fifth winter.
The Shadow of Trump and Putin
The flurry of activity comes against a backdrop of concern that a recent rapprochement between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has raised concerns the US could turn its back on Kyiv. Putin agreed “in principle” to restart the Abu Dhabi talks, his foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said after meeting Witkoff last month. During that meeting, Putin also raised the prospect of restoring U.S.-Russia ties and discussed “large-scale joint economic projects” with American officials, The Hill reported, alongside topics including the Iran war. Meanwhile, parallel meetings in Brussels between the EU, UK, NATO and the United States continue to coordinate Western positions. For Kyiv, the risk is that the US could turn its back on Ukraine amid the rapprochement between Trump and Putin.
As the Nov. 10 talks in Abu Dhabi approach, the open question is whether the “full throttle” diplomacy Zelensky demands will bring the war to an end as quickly as possible.
