Washington is preparing another high-stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin. But behind the diplomatic optimism, Russia and Ukraine remain divided over territory, security guarantees and who gets a seat at the negotiating table.
President Donald Trump’s diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine is moving directly into the Kremlin.
American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, November 12, following two days of negotiations involving American, Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi.
The next stop is Dublin, where the two envoys plan to brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The itinerary sounds promising. The reality is considerably more complicated.
Nearly five years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, the central disagreements remain unresolved. And another round of meetings will mean little unless the negotiations produce something beyond carefully worded diplomatic optimism. News Channel 3-12+1
Behind Closed Doors, the Real Battle Continues
The Abu Dhabi negotiations marked the first direct US-mediated talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations since February.
American officials described the discussions as productive, while Ukrainian representatives acknowledged progress on certain issues.
One tangible development was an agreement on a major prisoner exchange, potentially involving at least 1,000 prisoners from each side.
That matters. For families waiting to learn whether loved ones will return from captivity, a prisoner exchange represents something far more meaningful than another diplomatic photograph.
But the larger questions remain unanswered.
Russia continues demanding concessions involving Ukrainian territory and a broader restructuring of Europe’s security arrangements. Ukraine insists that any settlement must protect its sovereignty and provide credible guarantees against another invasion.
Neither side has publicly abandoned those positions. Daily Sabah+1
Moscow Wants More Than an End to the War
Perhaps the most revealing element of these negotiations is Russia’s insistence that any settlement address the wider European security order.
Moscow wants discussions extending beyond Ukraine to the future relationship between Russia, NATO and European governments.
That creates an uncomfortable question for Washington.
Is the United States negotiating an end to the fighting, or helping redesign Europe’s security arrangements as part of a much larger bargain?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has argued that a broader security framework should come before resolving the conflict itself.
Ukraine and its European partners have pushed for the opposite sequence: stop the fighting, establish credible guarantees and then discuss wider security arrangements.
The difference is fundamental, not procedural. Reuters+1
Europe Is Fighting for a Seat at Its Own Table
European governments are increasingly concerned about negotiations that could determine the continent’s security future without their full participation.
Kushner has indicated that bringing European representatives into future talks will be raised during the Moscow meeting.
Russia, however, has expressed skepticism about Europe’s involvement.
That leaves Washington attempting to bridge disagreements not only between Moscow and Kyiv, but also over who should participate in deciding the terms of peace.
For European leaders, the stakes extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders. Any agreement involving NATO, territorial security or future military commitments could reshape the continent for decades. Європейська правда+1
Another Peace Mission — But Where Is the Breakthrough?
Trump has repeatedly suggested that an agreement to end the war could be within reach.
Yet the fighting continues, Russia maintains substantial territorial demands, and Ukraine refuses to accept a settlement that leaves it vulnerable to renewed aggression.
Diplomacy deserves an opportunity to succeed. So does every serious effort to bring prisoners home and stop the killing.
But progress cannot be measured simply by how many officials sit around a negotiating table.
The real test is whether Moscow and Kyiv can accept enforceable terms that both end the war and prevent another one.
Until then, Washington’s latest mission remains exactly that: another attempt to turn negotiations into peace.
And after years of destruction, the people paying the price deserve more than another promise. Reuters+1
Sources
- Reuters — US Attempts New Peace Push at Russia-Ukraine Talks, November 10, 2026
- Interfax-Ukraine — US Envoys to Meet Putin in Moscow, November 11, 2026
- CNN — Trump Envoys to Meet Putin After Ukraine Talks, November 11, 2026