Putin Agrees to Include Europe in Ukraine Talks
Witkoff says Russia will bring European representatives into the next round of Ukraine peace negotiations.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in International Relations
Steve Witkoff announced that Putin agreed to include European representatives in the next round of Ukraine peace talks after meeting him at the Kremlin on Thursday. Zelenskiy welcomed the prospect of European involvement, though a Kremlin aide did not confirm it.
Why it matters
European participation would broaden a negotiating process that has so far been run by Russia, Ukraine and the United States, and Witkoff said the countries are partners in efforts to resolve the conflict. Putin's position that deploying Western troops in Ukraine under a peace deal would be a security threat signals a central point of disagreement ahead of the talks.
Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, a figure at the center of the territorial dispute. The Abu Dhabi trilateral talks, the first direct US-mediated Moscow-Kyiv talks in nine months, lasted two days, and the Kremlin has not confirmed whether European representatives will attend the next round.
The players
Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff is a US special envoy who conducted the recent meetings with Putin and Zelenskiy on behalf of the Trump administration.
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia, who has led Moscow's position in the war in Ukraine since 2022.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Volodymyr Zelenskiy is the President of Ukraine, who has led his country's defense against the Russian invasion and its negotiating efforts.
Jared Kushner
Jared Kushner is a former senior adviser to President Donald Trump who has taken part in Middle East and Ukraine-related diplomacy.
Yuri Ushakov
Yuri Ushakov is a Kremlin foreign policy aide who serves as a senior adviser to Putin on diplomatic matters.
The details
Witkoff met Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday and then met Zelenskiy and Jared Kushner on the sidelines of a European summit in Dublin. Putin said Moscow had never opposed dialogue with European countries, while the next round of negotiations is expected to focus on de-escalation and possible ceasefire arrangements.
Timeline
Thursday: Witkoff meets Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow.
Approximately two days before the Kremlin meeting: Trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi conclude.
Political Context
The proposal to add European representatives follows the Abu Dhabi talks, which were the first direct US-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv in nine months. Putin's warning that Western troops in Ukraine would be a security threat sets up a likely point of conflict for any European role in a settlement.
The composition of the next negotiating round will determine whether European governments have a direct role in any ceasefire or settlement affecting Ukraine. Readers following the conflict should watch for official confirmation from the Kremlin, since Ushakov has not yet verified European participation.
The takeaway
Whether Europe joins the talks may shape which security guarantees are considered for Ukraine, so the composition of the negotiating table is worth tracking alongside the substance of any ceasefire proposal.
Further reading
For background on the diplomacy behind this development, see International Relations.
