US envoys reach Moscow for Putin meeting following Abu Dhabi talks

Moscow meeting and next stop

Trump’s envoys travelled to Moscow to discuss the outcome of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. After meeting Putin, Kushner said he and Witkoff would fly to Dublin, Ireland, to meet Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy described the proposed prisoner exchange as a positive step. He also said Ukraine would not accept demands to give up territory occupied by Russia in exchange for peace.

European role in negotiations

The fate of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and post-conflict security guarantees for both countries remain major obstacles. Another question is what role European countries would have in any eventual settlement.

Moscow opposes European countries taking part in direct negotiations. Kushner said one aim of the Moscow meeting was to try to bring Europeans into the talks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that European representatives might join peace talks at a later stage.

Security concerns and battlefield reports

Ukraine wants safeguards to prevent another Russian attack. EU officials say discussions about Europe’s security arrangements could begin only after a ceasefire. Many Europeans view including Russia in those plans as a concession to Putin, who has called NATO’s eastward expansion a major security threat; Moscow has demanded that NATO withdraw troops from Russia’s borders.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses brought down 71 Ukrainian drones overnight. In St. Petersburg early Thursday, a Russian serviceman was killed when his vehicle exploded, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.

The committee did not identify the serviceman or say who might be responsible. Fontanka reported that he was a colonel and that an explosive device in his car detonated as he drove away; the outlet said another person with him was wounded.