U.S. Envoy Announces Ukraine–Russia–U.S. Talks in Abu Dhabi Focused on Security and Humanitarian Issues
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff says Washington will mediate working-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November, with an agenda that includes post-war security arrangements, de‑escalation, humanitarian efforts and steps toward peace.
The United States plans to sit down with representatives from Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi next week in a rare publicly announced trilateral meeting focused on the war.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced that the United States would mediate working-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on 10–11 November in Abu Dhabi. In his statement, he said discussions would cover post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts and what he described as next steps toward peace.
The announcement confirms both the dates and the venue, and makes clear that Washington intends to play an active mediating role rather than limiting itself to separate bilateral contacts. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has previously hosted sensitive talks among rival states and has maintained relations with both Kyiv and Moscow since the full-scale invasion.
Working-level talks typically bring together senior officials and technical experts rather than heads of state. That format can make it easier to address detailed questions such as potential security frameworks, risk-reduction measures or specific humanitarian arrangements.
For Ukraine, any discussion of post-war security touches on issues such as long-term guarantees, external support and the conditions under which it could eventually consider halting active fighting. Humanitarian topics could include matters like prisoner exchanges or assistance to civilians affected by the conflict.
For Russia, attending a meeting of this kind offers a chance to lay out its own conditions, gauge U.S. positions and influence how international audiences view its stance on negotiations.
The talks are set to take place amid continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets, underscoring that fighting on the ground and in the air is still intense even as diplomatic channels are tested.
Key points to watch as the date approaches include the level of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, whether any joint statements or concrete humanitarian measures emerge from the meetings, and how other governments react publicly to this new diplomatic track.
Sources
- OSINT