Nov 13, 2026, 06:30 PM UTC

US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have announced that European partners will be included in upcoming peace talks to resolve the war in Ukraine. Following diplomatic meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin, Kushner urged European governments to appoint a single delegate for future rounds.

According to US officials, Moscow accepted the broadened negotiation format, which aims to address post-war European security frameworks alongside core territorial disputes. President Zelenskyy welcomed the development, noting that European leaders would now have a direct voice at the negotiating table. Despite ongoing disagreements between Kyiv and Moscow, envoys also indicated progress toward a major prisoner exchange.

Sources: Der Spiegel, DW, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

United States envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have concluded two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi alongside Ukrainian and Russian officials. The talks aimed to establish a "new framework" for diplomatic progress, even as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected European demands for an immediate ceasefire. Following the sessions, the American mediators scheduled briefings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin, where Zelensky noted a potential window of opportunity for progress by year-end.

European delegates, representing NATO, the European Commission, and the E4 group—comprising France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom—conducted side talks with Ukrainian negotiators. Italian diplomatic sources urged quick agreement on negotiation formats, warning that fragmented efforts play into Moscow's hands.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica

Leaked records from Russia's Rosstat registry indicate that nearly 500,000 Russian military personnel have died in Ukraine since February 2022. According to analysis by Janis Kluge of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, monthly Russian casualties exceeded 15,000 in late 2024 and early 2025. Reports also highlight problematic recruitment practices within Russia, including the enlistment of individuals with severe mental health conditions.

Concurrently, European security agencies are intensifying crackdowns on Russian proxy networks, exemplified by a raid by Latvia's State Security Service targeting suspected operative Vasilijs Kovacovs near Riga. Meanwhile, reports suggest Moscow is seeking direct bilateral security negotiations with European NATO members. German ministries are reportedly reviewing a Russian working document outlining proposed terms, although government-aligned sources have denied its existence.

Sources: Beta, Danas, Klix, N1, Vijesti

Efforts to fully restore Microsoft 365 services remained stalled on Friday as engineers worked through a second day of global disruptions. The outage, which impacted Outlook, Teams, Word, and Copilot across 74 countries, stemmed from an internal connection-handling error rather than a cyberattack. Peak incident reports on Downdetector reached nearly 130,000 following the initial failure on Thursday evening.

While Microsoft reported initial progress after restarting affected infrastructure, server stability remains volatile. Systems returning to service frequently froze again upon absorbing live user traffic. To mitigate wider impacts, the technology giant confirmed it is prioritizing system recovery for life, safety, and government operations while testing network rollbacks and configuration adjustments.

Sources: The Guardian, The Herald, STV News, Cyprus Mail, BBC News

Political maneuvers in Republika Srpska continue as lawmakers prepare for upcoming votes to select delegates for the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vice President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska Mirsad Duratović warned that internal divides within the opposition could allow the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) to secure a fifth delegate due to potential defections. Meanwhile, the opposition Serb Democratic Party (SDS) reiterated its readiness to engage in talks regarding the entity's vital interests, provided all discussions occur strictly within official parliamentary institutions.

Separately, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik confirmed his son, Igor Dodik, is being considered for the prime minister position. The administration also faces scrutiny over a six-million-euro subsidy program for Belarusian tractors, which excludes other manufacturers following an agreement between Dodik and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Sources: Avaz, Danas, FENA, Klix, N1