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US envoys meet Putin and Zelenskyy as peace talks expand to include European allies

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Posted Nov 13, 2026, 01:30 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-11-13-0130
US envoys meet Putin and Zelenskyy as peace talks expand to include European allies
Photo: France24

U.S. envoys met with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, agreeing that European representatives will join the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held separate discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ireland following two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi.

While the Abu Dhabi sessions concluded without a definitive breakthrough, talks centered on continental post-war security arrangements to reduce tensions between Russia and NATO. Following his meeting with the U.S. delegation, President Zelenskyy confirmed that European representatives will participate in the next round of peace negotiations, a move supported by U.S. negotiators who emphasized that European inclusion is essential to securing a lasting agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the initial discussions as "very productive."

Sources: BBC News, France24, Politico Europe (Defense), Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

How outlets assessed this

  • Nov 11, 2026, 01:30 PM UTC
    • Sweden Herald Skeptical Framed the negotiations as ending abruptly with little progress beyond a routine prisoner exchange.
    • Politico Europe (Defense) Cautious Highlighted tentative signs of early progress and described discussions around security and prisoner swaps as constructive.
    • Bloomberg Skeptical Emphasized that negotiations restarted despite Russia showing no sign of a willingness to compromise.
  • Nov 11, 2026, 03:00 PM UTC
    • Politico Europe (Defense) Supportive Framed the Abu Dhabi discussions as constructive with tentative early progress on prisoner exchanges.
    • Sweden Herald Skeptical Emphasized the rapid conclusion of talks and noted the only visible outcome was a standard prisoner swap.
    • Bloomberg Cautious Highlighted that Russia shows no willingness to compromise despite US efforts to restart the peace process.
  • Nov 11, 2026, 09:30 PM UTC
    • The Guardian Supportive Highlighted positive assessment from U.S. officials calling the talks "very productive" and noting plans to expand diplomatic involvement.
    • BBC News Skeptical Emphasized the lack of immediate breakthroughs to end the five-year conflict despite minor openings identified by U.S. mediators.

Sources

Earlier coverage

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