With fresh peace hopes flickering after years of grinding war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has held an extensive discussion with senior US envoys as a new round of diplomatic meetings between Ukrainian and Russian officials begins — starting with a White House session to be hosted by US First Lady Melania Trump.
The burst of activity comes ahead of planned talks in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November, where negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are set to sit down together for the first three-way discussions since February.
The renewed engagement has stirred cautious optimism that momentum toward ending the conflict might be building, even as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine drags into its fifth year. At the same time, a recent rapprochement between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has fuelled unease that Washington could shift course and leave Kyiv exposed.
“We just had a very detailed, hour-and-a-half-long conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X yesterday evening while visiting Madrid.
“The negotiations must move forward at full throttle to bring this war to an end as quickly as possible. Ukraine is ready to take the necessary steps,” he said.
Mr Zelensky’s comments followed an announcement from Ms Trump’s White House office that she would convene representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the White House, though no date was provided.
Melania Trump last month announced a localised truce between Ukrainian and Russian forces
Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency reported that Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s adviser for international economic cooperation, and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova would meet Ms Trump “provided that all logistical arrangements work out,” citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he would also travel to Washington to meet Ms Trump.
Alongside the Washington contacts, parallel discussions are taking place in Brussels involving representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, NATO and the United States, underscoring the breadth of international coordination around the next phase of diplomacy.
Ms Trump drew attention last month when she announced a localised truce between Ukrainian and Russian forces to enable residents of Oleshky, on the southern front, to leave after enduring weeks of shortages of food and medicine.
That unusual pause in fighting — observed by both sides — allowed roads to be demolished and residents to depart for either Ukraine or Russia.
In recognition of her part in arranging the partial ceasefire, Mr Zelensky awarded Ms Trump a national honour.
