See more of our coverage in your search results.
WASHINGTON — US special envoy Jared Kushner said Monday that President Trump is “determined to bring an end” to the Ukraine war, as he and other American diplomats prepare to kick off two days of peace discussions in the United Arab Emirates starting Tuesday.
The US will be joined by representatives from Ukraine, the European Union, NATO, Germany, France, Italy and the UK during the two-day summit, which is the first of its kind since February 2026.
US officials said that the first session is expected to focus on monitoring the shaky cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, while a subsequent session is planned to talk about post-war security concerns.
The goal is to eventually involve Russia in multilateral talks with the Europeans, one of the officials said Monday, stating: “At this point, in order to end the war, you really need to have Europe at the table.”
“Neither side will want to stop the fighting if the other side will re-arm to continue the war,” the US official added.
There will also be talks after that about outstanding territorial issues, with Russia pushing to maintain control of the entirety of Donetsk and Ukraine maintaining that the division should fall along the current frontline between the nations.
Both countries have expressed “flexibility privately” during territorial discussions, the official noted.
The talks follow Trump’s remarks in a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday, in which he suggested Ukraine was “gonna end up with a little bit different shape” by the end.
“We are working hard to find a negotiated solution that can deliver lasting peace and create the conditions for a sovereign, secure and prosperous Ukraine within a more stable European security environment,” Kushner posted on X.
“Building on our separate consultations with both sides, our objective is to bring Ukraine and Russia together to discuss directly their postwar security concerns, proposals, and potential solutions,” he said. “We hope these discussions will identify areas of common ground, advance practical solutions, and build momentum toward the next phase of negotiations.”
“Ultimately, achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement will also require direct engagement between Russia and our European partners on the broader security arrangements that affect them,” he added.
Russia and Ukraine have been unable to resolve the conflict for nearly five years, with the most recent cease-fire between the nations breaking down after Moscow struck power plants in Kyiv and other civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky retaliated by hitting Russian diesel facilities.
The tit-for-tat strikes were also complicated by Trump’s decision to announce a diesel deal with Moscow that relaxed US sanctions.
First Lady Melania Trump has also joined negotiators in calling for immediate peace after overseeing a successful temporary cease-fire in the city of Oleshky, allowing at least 800 citizens to evacuate.
“Our work has focused on four interconnected priorities: ending the fighting, developing credible postwar security guarantees and arrangements that reduce the risk of renewed conflict, preparing a comprehensive economic and prosperity plan for Ukraine, and advancing humanitarian measures to alleviate suffering and address the human consequences of this war,” Kushner also said.
“Together with Ukraine, the EU, and other European partners, we are working to address Ukraine’s substantial postwar fiscal and reconstruction needs, support critical infrastructure, attract private investment, and create the conditions for long-term economic growth and self-sufficiency.”
