US To Mediate Ukraine-Russia Talks In Abu Dhabi On Nov 10-11: Witkoff Announces Fresh Peace Push

The United States will mediate fresh talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, US special envoy Steve Witkoff has announced, even as Russian strikes continue across Ukraine, including attacks that Kyiv says have killed dozens of civilians.

The working-level discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian assistance and steps towards ending the war, Witkoff said. US President Donald Trump’s special envoy also said Washington hoped to build on progress made during recent discussions in Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg.

The Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday that Russia would take part in the negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, would lead Moscow’s delegation.

Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to represent the United States. Before the Abu Dhabi meeting, US negotiators will hold discussions in Brussels with representatives from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO. The discussions will cover Ukraine’s security guarantees, Europe’s future security framework and economic support for reconstruction.

The diplomatic announcement comes amid an intensification of military operations. A Firstpost video report highlighted Russia’s claimed bombing of a Ukrainian drone command centre, describing it as a major strike against Ukraine’s drone warfare network. The extent of the damage and the impact on Ukraine’s wider military capabilities have not been independently established.

Separately, a Russian airstrike on a humanitarian aid distribution centre and shelter in Komyshuvakha, in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, killed at least 31 people, injured five and left nearly 50 missing, according to Ukrainian officials on Tuesday.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces first struck a school being used to distribute aid before launching a second attack on an underground shelter where civilians had gathered. The dead included four police officers and two rescue workers. Three days of mourning have been declared in the region, with rescue operations continuing.