The Moscow discussions follow two days of U.S.-mediated trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi that produced an agreement for a major prisoner exchange but failed to yield a broader peace breakthrough. While the U.S. has attempted to pivot the agenda toward postwar reconstruction and security architectures, territorial disputes continue to stall formal progress. A senior Russian diplomat suggested Moscow might consider non-aggression pacts with NATO members, but European officials insist a ceasefire and concrete progress on the ground must come first.
Key points
Direct negotiations remain severely deadlocked due to Kyiv's refusal to cede the entire e…: Direct negotiations remain severely deadlocked due to Kyiv's refusal to cede the entire eastern Donbas region to Russia.
American mediators are actively attempting to redirect negotiations toward postwar recons…: American mediators are actively attempting to redirect negotiations toward postwar reconstruction efforts and long-term security guarantees.
European leaders insist continental security discussions cannot advance without a ceasefi…: European leaders insist continental security discussions cannot advance without a ceasefire and tangible progress on the ground in Ukraine.
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MOSCOW: US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday (Nov 12) for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, part of their latest push for a peace deal in Ukraine.
The Kremlin talks - expected to take place in the first half of the day - will be the 10th time that Witkoff has met Putin in person, and follow two days of trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi which finished on Wednesday with news of another planned major prisoner exchange, but no public breakthrough in wider negotiations.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's special envoy, met Kushner and Witkoff off their plane amid wet snow and accompanied them to central Moscow ahead of their talks with Putin.
This week's Abu Dhabi talks were the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the US to try to end the four-and-a-half-year-old war in nine months and, although Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reported some progress, the US side said differences remained on major issues, including territory.
Despite public optimism from US President Trump, there has been no sign of major…
Regional tensions escalated sharply as Iranian military leadership threatened lethal strikes on military bases from West Asia to Europe if attacked, prompting reports that US Vice President JD Vance may pursue direct talks in Doha. Meanwhile, lethal strikes in southern Gaza and intercepted Houthi projectiles over Saudi Arabia underscore expanding volatility across multiple conflict fronts.
Tehran has signaled conditional readiness to negotiate an accord with Washington, contingent on the terms avoiding undue pressure. Iranian officials are demanding that American negotiators avoid stoking distrust during potential diplomatic engagements. The stance highlights a calculated effort to define strict negotiation boundaries while keeping diplomatic channels fundamentally viable.
The pontiff's return to the nation where he served for two decades marks a significant personal and pastoral milestone following recent health challenges. Addressing national leadership, he called for reconciliation and accountability regarding historical wounds, setting a firm moral tone for his multi-day pastoral visit. The trip underscores his enduring connection to the South American nation he considers his adopted home.