U.S. will host Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, Witkoff says

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The United States will bring Ukrainian and Russian delegations together in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11 for talks on ending the war, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday. "Discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace," he wrote on X.

Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to lead the U.S. side, a senior U.S. official told Reuters. Lower-level U.S. officials will meet this week in Brussels with France, Germany, Britain, the EU and NATO on security guarantees for Ukraine and reconstruction. These are the first U.S.-mediated talks since February, when the Iran war began; Putin agreed to a new round after meeting Witkoff in St. Petersburg two weeks ago.

The sides remain far apart on territory, Axios reports. The White House hopes Putin will be more flexible after Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel sales, but so far his only apparent concession is agreeing to talk. Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine has intelligence Russia is preparing another massive strike on its energy and logistics on Tuesday, "when the world will be watching the American midterms." Polymarket traders put the chance of a signed peace deal by year's end at about 11%.