Trump Aides Push Russia to Accept European Role in Ukraine Peace Talks
U.S. negotiators plan to meet with European officials in Abu Dhabi before bilateral talks with Moscow and Kyiv on security guarantees.
By Alexei Brooks ·
The White House intends to use upcoming diplomatic meetings in the United Arab Emirates to pressure Russia into accepting a wider format for ending its war with Ukraine. U.S. officials said the administration wants European leaders at the table, a shift from Moscow's preference for strict trilateral talks involving only Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.
Senior aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet with representatives from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, NATO, and the European Union in Abu Dhabi. These meetings will take place before U.S. negotiators sit down with Russian and Ukrainian officials on Tuesday and Wednesday. The discussions will cover potential security guarantees and the long-term security architecture between Russia and Europe.
Russia has consistently resisted European participation in direct negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday that the meeting would focus on trilateral negotiations with the United States mediating. Peskov noted that Americans and Ukrainians already have their own channels for coordinating with Europeans. However, one anonymous U.S. official told reporters that the administration believes Europe must be involved to end the war effectively.
If the Abu Dhabi meetings proceed smoothly, Witkoff and Kushner may travel to Moscow and Kyiv to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Donald Trump said in a Sunday interview on '60 Minutes' that the two sides are 'very close' to a deal, despite the personal hostility between Putin and Zelenskyy. Trump described the future shape of Ukraine as 'a little bit different' but did not provide specific details.
Negotiations are occurring while both nations continue heavy military operations. Russian forces targeted four electrical substations in Ukraine's Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions on Monday. Russia's Defense Ministry said the attacks aim to deprive Ukrainian civilians of heating, light, and water during winter. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 317 drones at Ukraine overnight, including 105 jet-powered models.
Ukrainian forces responded with long-range strikes on Russian infrastructure. An attack by Ukrainian drones started a fire at the KINEF oil refinery near St. Petersburg, which is one of Russia's largest facilities. Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed the fire on Monday. Ukrainian forces also struck a plant near St. Petersburg that produces solid rocket propellant for Iskander-M ballistic missiles.
The war has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians, according to analysts and humanitarian organizations. Russian state finances are under strain, and Ukraine's economy is suffering from sustained attacks. Zelenskyy said on Monday that the European Union agreed to activate a special emergency mechanism to speed up funding for power grid repairs.
Ukraine's lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said European officials will hold a 'separate coordination' with the Ukrainian delegation in Abu Dhabi. Moscow maintains that European representatives will not be directly involved in the main discussions. The last trilateral talks took place in Geneva in February, yielding no major progress. Trump faces pressure to secure a deal before Democrats take control of the U.S. Congress in January.
