U.S. Envoys to Seek Putin Approval for European Participation in Ukraine Peace Talks

U.S. officials plan to travel to Moscow on Thursday to request President Vladimir Putin’s approval for European participation in future peace talks on Ukraine, officials said. Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump who has been mediating the talks in Abu Dhabi, said he and White House envoy Steve Witkoff will meet the Russian leader to set a date for the next round of negotiations and to secure Putin’s "blessing" for Europe’s involvement.

"We need to have the Europeans at the table," Kushner told reporters, adding that the United States has repeatedly communicated to Putin and his team that European inclusion is essential for progress.

Kushner also said Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement on a large prisoner exchange, describing it as likely the biggest swap since the war began; the exact numbers are expected to be confirmed on Thursday. He characterized the two-day Abu Dhabi meetings as substantive and tough.

The talks in Abu Dhabi also produced an agreement between the United States and the European Union to examine a new post-war security framework for Europe. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on European nations to promptly designate a representative for the upcoming negotiations.