Witkoff, Kushner may visit Kyiv, Moscow after Abu Dhabi talks - media

White House officials Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff may journey to Kyiv and Moscow following the talks in Abu Dhabi, according to Axios. The White House expresses cautious optimism as peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine re-commence in Abu Dhabi this week. For weeks, Kushner and Witkoff have been lobbying Russian President Vladimir Putin to re-engage in dialogue.

President Donald Trump and his administration hope that lifting sanctions on Russian diesel sales and other favorable measures will encourage Putin to consider concessions. After the meetings in Abu Dhabi, Witkoff and Kushner could travel to Moscow and Kyiv to converse directly with Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, stated a U.S. official.

Daily phone calls between Witkoff and Kushner and their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts have been ongoing for two weeks to prepare for the upcoming discussions. Moreover, the duo extended invitations to senior officials from NATO, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy for separate talks on the sidelines of the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.

These allies from Europe will play a crucial role in any future security arrangements post-war. The U.S. aims to initiate a third track of negotiations between European nations and Russia to devise fresh methods to de-escalate tensions and forestall conflict. However, many European nations harbor skepticism towards the proposed Europe-Russia security initiative.

They perceive it as reinforcing Russia's perception that Europe is a security threat, and they fear it may dilute NATO's central role in safeguarding Europe. U.S. officials clarified that the proposed European-Russian security agreement would not supplant or undermine NATO or its pivotal role in European security protection. Nevertheless, they emphasized that a fresh security pact between Europe and Russia could facilitate the cessation of the Ukraine war.

A U.S. official expressed the hope of Witkoff and Kushner that Russia would consent to incorporate European representatives in the subsequent round of peace talks following the Abu Dhabi meetings.