US envoys meet Putin in Moscow; Kushner says Europeans will join next talks

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday, 12 November 2026. The meeting followed two days of US-mediated talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, which ended on 11 November.

The Abu Dhabi talks produced an agreement, or a preliminary agreement, on a large prisoner exchange. Final figures had not been announced at the time of reporting. According to Infobae, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the exchange could involve 1,000 to 1,200 soldiers from each side.

Before the Moscow meeting, Russia opposed including European representatives in the negotiations. Kushner said discussing Europe's inclusion was a goal of the meeting. The United States has urged European countries to name a single representative.

Putin told the envoys that Russia would treat any European or foreign troops deployed to Ukraine after a ceasefire as a threat and as legitimate targets. He also restated Russia's claim to four Ukrainian regions that Moscow annexed in 2022 but does not fully control. Kyiv and Western governments reject the annexations as illegal.

After Moscow, the envoys were due to meet Zelensky, who was in Dublin for meetings with European leaders. France 24 and SCMP reported that they met him in Dublin. The Hindu reported that they spoke to journalists on the tarmac of a military airbase in Ireland. An EU official told AFP that representatives of five European capitals and the European Commission also met the envoys. The reports do not name the five capitals.

Separately, Zelensky said Ukrainian units had recorded new disruptions to the Starshield satellite communications service. In Kyiv, one person was killed overnight when a drone struck a residential building.

What is disputed

The main dispute is whether Russia agreed to European participation. "Both sides have now agreed to expand the next round of negotiations to include our European partners," Kushner wrote on X, according to The Hindu. According to France 24 and The Hindu, the Kremlin did not confirm this. Before the meeting, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov questioned whether the EU could choose a single negotiator, Infobae reported.

Reports also differ on how long the meeting with Putin lasted. NPR reported about two hours. The Hindu and SCMP reported more than four hours.

What each side says

Zelensky said Europeans would not remain on the sidelines as they did in Abu Dhabi. "They will have a voice," The Hindu quoted him as saying. According to NPR, he said Ukraine will not surrender occupied territory in return for peace.

Putin rejected "grey" or demilitarised zones. "For us, there is only one line of demarcation: the state border," The Hindu quoted him as saying.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RT that including Europeans could mean a setback, according to Infobae.

The reports do not include the date, venue or format of the next round, or who would represent Europe.

Analysis

The diplomatic picture depends on a claim that only one side has made public. Kushner and Zelensky say Europeans will join the next round. The Kremlin has not confirmed this, and senior Russian officials voiced doubts before the meeting. If Moscow confirms, the talks could widen to cover European security, which Ryabkov said was central in Abu Dhabi. If it does not, the gap between the parties' accounts may become a point of friction. Positions on territory and on foreign troops remain far apart. The prisoner exchange, if completed, would be a concrete outcome. It would not by itself settle the core issues.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.