U.S. to mediate Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday that Washington will mediate “working-level negotiations” between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi, with the next round of talks to take place next week.

The announcement, made in a post on X on Nov. 2, 2026, comes as the war approaches its fifth year. It also adds a second track: U.S. negotiators will meet this week in Brussels with representatives of France, Germany, the U.K., the European Union and NATO on security guarantees for Ukraine.

Witkoff said the Abu Dhabi discussions “will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps toward peace.” He said the aim is “advancing President Trump’s mission to end the war.”

“We look forward to building on the progress made in Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg toward a comprehensive, durable peace agreement that delivers lasting security for generations to come,” Witkoff said, according to The National, which reported his post.

The Brussels meeting is to cover “security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe’s post-war security architecture and economic opportunities to support Ukraine’s reconstruction,” The National reported. The delegations that will sit at the table in Abu Dhabi have not been named in the reporting available so far, and the timing is described as “next week” in Witkoff’s post, so exact dates are not confirmed.

Witkoff, whom President Donald Trump deputized to mediate the conflict, met Russian President Vladimir Putin late last month, The National reported. Canada News Media reported on that meeting, and on the release of a U.S. teacher by Russia, in an earlier story.

The talks follow weeks of disagreement over who gets a seat. The European Union has pressed for a role, while the Kremlin has described the format as trilateral. Witkoff’s plan to meet European officials in Brussels suggests Washington is trying to keep the allies informed, though his post does not say whether they will join the Abu Dhabi round.

Last week, plans for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold talks in Brussels were in doubt as Washington shifted its schedule. Funding remains a pressing question: the European Commission has proposed a final €45-billion tranche of a Ukraine loan for payout in 2027.

For Canada, the talks bear on the commitments Ottawa has made to Ukraine and on its new partnership with Brussels. Canada and the European Union issued a joint statement on Nov. 2 on building an alliance together. Canada is also home to one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas in the world, with more than 1.2 million people reporting Ukrainian origin in the 2021 census, according to Statistics Canada.

Neither the Kremlin nor the Ukrainian government had publicly commented on the announcement in the reports reviewed. This story is developing and will be updated when delegations and dates are confirmed.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.

Via The National (Abu Dhabi). Witkoff’s statements are as quoted by that outlet from his post on X.