Russian and Ukrainian officials have returned to the negotiating table for the first time since February, with US President Donald Trump stepping up efforts to broker an end to the war.
The two sides met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, November 10, for US-backed discussions involving American presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as “very productive”, although he did not disclose specific details of the discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also gave a positive assessment, describing the talks as “constructive and quite substantive”, with humanitarian and security matters among the issues discussed.
Speaking to reporters in Denmark later, Zelenskiy said he was encouraged by the messages he had received from Witkoff and Kushner.
“I see changes. I am very happy about what I hear,” he said.
In a post on X, Zelenskiy said the release of prisoners of war remained a priority, while both sides had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and how those arrangements could remain effective in the long term.
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned that it was too early to assess the outcome, with negotiations scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
Kushner said recent US discussions with both Moscow and Kyiv had helped narrow differences between their positions. Following Tuesday’s meeting, he described the discussions as constructive and said Washington was working towards establishing security arrangements for a sovereign and secure Ukraine, alongside lasting peace in Europe.
Despite the encouraging statements, major disagreements remain between the two countries more than four and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian forces currently control about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, while key obstacles to a settlement include territorial disputes, future security guarantees and Moscow’s demand that Ukraine adopt neutral status and stay out of NATO.
Trump has increased pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement, warning that Ukraine could face “a very bad thing” if it fails to end the conflict. Last week, he also claimed the war was close to being resolved through a “big beautiful agreement”, although previous predictions of breakthroughs have not materialised.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow wanted negotiations on a broader European security framework before addressing the details of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He described the approach as reasonable, arguing that clear parameters for future security arrangements should be established first.
Zelenskiy, however, expressed reservations about the proposal, saying the immediate priority should be to stop the fighting, secure guarantees for Ukraine and only then consider wider discussions on European and global security.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also argued that broader security discussions should only take place after a ceasefire. Lavrov rejected the idea of a temporary truce, accusing European countries of seeking to give Ukraine time to regroup.
The renewed US peace initiative has also prompted European leaders to push for a role in negotiations, with France insisting that lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing European security concerns.
Before the main meeting, Ukrainian representatives held separate discussions with European, NATO and European Union officials, as well as the two US envoys.
Rubio said Washington hoped to eventually expand the three-way negotiations to include European representatives. However, Russia has made clear that it does not support European participation in the current talks.
On the military front, fighting has continued despite the diplomatic efforts. Russian forces have maintained attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, while Ukraine has intensified strikes against Russian oil refineries and other facilities.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he had urged Rubio to speed up deliveries of air defence interceptors as Moscow increased its attacks on energy targets.
“We should work on the peace track, but in parallel we should continue to pressure Russia,” Sybiha said.
