US-Russia talks reported in Abu Dhabi – DW – 11/26/2025

US special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, US President Donald Trump said, adding that his son-in-law Jared Kushner was also involved in the negotiations. 

“Steve Witkoff is going over maybe with Jared. I’m not sure about Jared going, but he’s involved in the process, smart guy, and they’re going to be meeting with President Putin, I believe next week in Moscow,” Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One. 

When asked about security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump said: “We’re working that out with Europe. Europe will be largely involved.”

When asked about criticism of his 28-point peace plan for being too favorable to Russia, Trump described it as a “map, not a plan,” saying that it has been revised down to 22 points.

Trump also stressed that Moscow too was “making concessions,” adding that they come in the form that “they stop fighting, and they don’t take any more land.”

Trump moreover said there was no deadline for the talks.

“You know what the deadline for me is? When it’s over,” he said.

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday two simultaneous meetings of Washington representatives with Russia and Ukraine to negotiate the final points of their peace plan. 

“(T)here are only a few remaining points of disagreement,” Trump wrote on his own social media platform Truth Social. 

“In the hopes of finalizing this Peace Plan, I have directed my Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with (Russian) President Putin.”

Trump also expressed hope to meet “soon” with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages,” the US president said.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Tuesday that Russia has shown no sign of seeking a ceasefire with Ukraine, calling for sustained pressure on Moscow as international efforts to broker a settlement intensify.

“There is clearly no Russian willingness to agree a ceasefire today,” Macron said after a video call among the 30 countries in the so-called “coalition of the willing,” which supports Kyiv. The meeting included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Macron said participants briefed the group on their recent contacts with Moscow, adding that Russia had shown no “willingness to discuss” a revised version of the US peace proposal — an amended plan reflecting input from Ukraine and European partners after talks in Geneva last weekend.

The original 28-point US draft had been criticized for aligning too closely with Russia’s demands, including limits on Ukraine’s armed forces. Macron said the Geneva discussions made clear there “should be no limitations to the Ukrainian army” as part of Kyiv’s long-term security guarantees.

As diplomacy continued, the war showed no sign of slowing. Powerful explosions again hit Kyiv. “While Russia pretended once again it was ready for peace, the last hours were marked by new strikes against civilian infrastructure… and Ukrainian civilians,” Macron said. “On the ground the reality is quite the opposite of a willingness for peace.”

Macron said the coalition would maintain “continued pressure” on Russia to negotiate, adding: “We will continue to support Ukraine with force.”

European leaders backing Ukraine said they will continue tightening sanctions on Russia, insisting that sustained pressure remains essential to any credible peace effort, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday.

After a video call with US Secretary Marco Rubio and the so-called “coalition of the willing,” von der Leyen wrote on X that “pressure remains the only language Russia responds to,” adding: “We will continue to increase it until there is a genuine willingness to engage on a credible path toward peace.”

She said the coalition would keep supporting Ukraine and stressed that a core issue in ongoing negotiations is securing long-term financing for Kyiv — including discussions over the use of frozen Russian sovereign assets.

US President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia is close at hand, even as Russian missile strikes continued to hit Kyiv.

Speaking at the annual White House turkey pardon on Tuesday, Trump appeared frustrated that he has not fulfilled last year’s campaign pledge to quickly end the war. “We’re getting very close to a deal,” he said.

A controversial initial US proposal — heavily tilted toward Moscow’s demands — has since been revised to include more of Ukraine’s positions.

A Ukrainian official told AFP the updated version is “significantly better,” though US officials cautioned that several “delicate” issues remain unresolved.

French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back strongly, saying there was “clearly no Russian willingness” to accept a ceasefire or engage seriously with the more Ukraine-friendly draft.

Talks have intensified since the weekend, when US and Ukrainian negotiators met in Geneva to review Trump’s original 28-point plan. Additional discussions involving US and Russian delegations were underway in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, US media reported. A coalition of 30 pro-Ukraine countries also held a virtual meeting.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz “discussed the latest developments and coordinated next steps” in a phone call on Tuesday, Zelenskyy’s office said. 

They also discussed the agenda of upcoming talks between Ukraine’s allies later in the day. 

“Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the latest details of the work underway on the steps to end the war. The Head of State emphasized that it is important for all partners to be informed,” Ukraine’s presidency wrote. 

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned against any steps that risked “inviting Putin to already plan the next attack” and said no decisions should be made “which infringe on the sovereignty of the EU or of NATO.” 

Wadephul was speaking as his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi visited Berlin. 

The foreign minister called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to show he was willing to a cease-fire and negotiations. 

“Russia has to stop the shooting and the killing. And then we would surely be ready to speak together,” he said, calling for Russia to engage in “negotiations on an equal footing” with Ukraine.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned British parliamentarians that much work still needed to be done to secure lasting peace in Ukraine. 

“There’s still a long way to go and a tough road ahead, but we’re more committed than ever to this cause and to keeping pushing forward on this process,” Starmer told the House of Commons, ahead of a call of the so-called Coalition of the Willing he would co-host with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Germany’s Friedrich Merz. 

Starmer also spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday ahead of the talks.

Starmer’s spokesperson said that he and Zelenskyy discussed “the importance of the continued work by coalition partners in preparation for the deployment of the multinational force following the cessation of hostilities.” 

Asked if the UK government was still willing to deploy peacekeepers as part of some future multinational force if there were a halt in fighting in Ukraine, the spokesperson said, “That commitment remains.” 

However, Russia has rejected any potential foreign military deployment in Ukraine, calling it “unacceptable,” with no mention of such a force in the contentious peace proposal leaked last week.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s former defense minister and currently the secretary of its National Security and Defense Council, told Germany’s dpa news agency on Tuesday that Kyiv and Washington are largely in agreement regarding a peace proposal to end Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“Our delegations reached a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva. We now count on the support of our European partners in our further steps,” the Ukrainian diplomat said. 

Umerov said Zelenskyy intends to travel to the US this week to discuss “sensitive” unresolved issues.

Speaking after meetings with allies in Geneva, Switzerland, Zelenskyy said late Monday that “the list of necessary steps to end the war can become doable.”

Russia, which backed the original “Trump plan” — seen as heavily favoring Moscow over Kyiv — initially called the proposal “the basis for a final peace settlement” but has since cautioned against changing the text to reflect Ukraine’s territorial and security demands.

Police in Moldova have evacuated an entire village after drone fragments rained down on a home in the Cuhurestii de Jos region adjoining Ukraine on Tuesday.

“The police technical explosives unit is on its way to the scene. People have been evacuated and the area cordoned off,” authorities said.

Some six drones were reported over Moldova on Tuesday at the same time fighter jets were scrambled in neighboring Romania to deal with airspace incursions by suspected Russian drones there.

Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the Russian ambassador would be summoned for consultation on Wednesday over “the serious violation” of its airspace.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday said Moscow is waiting for an “interim” version of a 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan pitched last week by US President Donald Trump.

Lavrov said Moscow had welcomed the original plan put forth by the American leader but said the Kremlin’s attitude would be “completely different” if the new version does not reflect “the spirit and letter of talks” between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this August.

The plan put forth by Trump garnered immediate pushback from Ukraine and its allies as it came on the heels of a call between Trump and Putin and offered terms favorable to Russia. 

Representatives from Washington met with Ukrainian leaders as well as EU and NATO partners this weekend in Geneva, Switzerland, to hammer out an amended version of the plan.

Lavrov said he hoped the US side would be in touch as soon as the amended version of the plan had been finalized.

A Ukrainian official has said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to travel to Washington this week for talks with President Donald Trump about a new 28-point peace plan that Trump pitched last week. 

“We look forward to organizing a visit by the president of Ukraine to the United States at the earliest possible date in November,” Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, wrote on Telegram.  

Trump had previously said he wanted Ukraine to accept the deal — which critics have compared to a Kremlin wish list — by Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy said he had spoken to Trump about the situation after meeting with EU and NATO partners in Geneva, Switzerland. The Ukrainian leader said Trump was “hearing” his country. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday suggested that Trump’s original deadline may need to be pushed back, saying that “more time is needed” to reach an agreement. 

What is the state of the Trump peace plan talks?

• The Trump administration put forward a 28-point peace plan last week that was criticized as being too pro-Russia
• The plan would see Ukraine concede more land, cut its military and be banned from joining NATO
• The EU said progress on the plan had been made following talks in Geneva on Sunday
• On Tuesday, French President Macron said the peace plan was ‘moving in the right direction’
• US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is reportedly in Abu Dhabi for talks with a Russian delegation about the peace plan

What else is happening with the war in Ukraine?

• Also on Tuesday, Russia and Ukraine both reported deaths from strikes
• British PM Starmer is set to hold a call with members of the so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’ — some 30 countries offering military support to a post-war Ukraine, something that was ruled out in the 28-point peace plan

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Tuesday said he welcomes US efforts to end Russia’s nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine, calling talks between Washington and Moscow “a good sign.”

Wadephul called the US approach “unorthodox” but lauded the flexibility that Washington appears to enjoy once it puts ideas on the table.

The German diplomat said negotiations had now become possible thanks to US efforts and although he would not comment on the state of talks, Wadephul said the approach is “key.”

On Sunday, Wadephul convened a “Washington Format” meeting of foreign ministers from Finland, France, Italy, Poland, the UK and Ukraine to discuss the current state of negotiations.

“Foreign ministers continue to conduct negotiations with the aim of arriving at a lasting and just peace,” said Germany’s Foreign Ministry of the talks. “Europe will continue to stand with Ukraine during this process.”   

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said his country’s forces had downed 22 Russian missiles and 464 drones during an overnight onslaught that killed six Ukrainian civilians, injured 13 and damaged energy and heating systems.

“The primary targets were the energy sector and everything that keeps normal life going,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post.

“What matters most now,” he added, “is that all partners move toward diplomacy together, through joint efforts. Pressure on Russia must deliver results.”

Zelenskyy also reiterated calls for arms and air defense weaponry.

The Ukrainian president noted that four Russian drones had breached Moldovan and Romanian airspace during the night as well.

Tuesday’s Russian drone strikes disrupted electricity to more than 100,000 people across five regions, according to officials.

Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu said his country’s military scrambled fighter jets early Tuesday after drones entered Romanian airspace near the Ukrainian border.

The Defense Ministry said one of the drones continued to move further into Romania.

Two German Eurofighters stationed in the country were deployed first, according to officials who added that two Romanian F-16s were then sent to tail the drones.

There have been numerous drone incursions into EU and NATO nations since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Romania, a member of both the EU and NATO, shares a 650-kilometer-long (400-mile) border with Ukraine and has seen repeated incursions by Russian drones.

The country has laws on its books that enable the downing of drones in its airspace if these present a threat to life or property. Romania has yet to shoot down drones.