President Donald Trump’s special envoy Jared Kushner outlined four priorities for the administration’s latest effort to end the war in Ukraine, as American, Russian, and Ukrainian officials prepare for two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
In a statement posted to X ahead of the meetings planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, Kushner said the administration is working toward a negotiated settlement that would secure Ukraine’s future while establishing a more stable European security environment.
“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 wrote.
Kushner, who will participate in the negotiations alongside U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, said the American delegation intends to bring Russia and Ukraine together to discuss their security concerns and potential solutions directly.
Before the negotiations begin, Kushner and Witkoff plan to meet with representatives from Ukraine, the European Union, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The discussions are intended to continue consultations over European security and Ukraine’s postwar future.
Kushner emphasized that any lasting settlement would require more than an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, arguing that Russia and European governments would eventually need to engage directly on broader security arrangements.
“We hope the discussions in Abu Dhabi will create the conditions for that engagement to begin in the near future, as part of a broader multilateral process,” he wrote.
The administration’s four priorities include establishing postwar security guarantees, rebuilding Ukraine’s economy, and addressing humanitarian concerns such as the return of prisoners and civilians. Kushner said the United States and its European partners are working on plans to support critical infrastructure, attract private investment, and help Ukraine achieve long-term economic growth and self-sufficiency.
He also outlined a proposed framework for European security, including stronger consultation between governments, reliable crisis communications, greater military transparency, and reciprocal measures to reduce the risk of escalation.
The framework, Kushner said, would build on existing European security agreements and institutions while respecting the sovereignty and independent decision-making of individual nations.
The negotiations come as the Trump administration faces pressure to secure an end to a war that has dragged on for nearly five years. Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and portions of the Donbas region, while Kyiv has insisted that any settlement must protect its sovereignty and provide credible guarantees against another Russian invasion.
The territorial dispute and Ukraine’s future security arrangements remain major obstacles. Russia has opposed Ukraine joining NATO and rejected the prospect of foreign troops being deployed in the country after a peace agreement. Ukraine, meanwhile, has sought security guarantees and has resisted demands that would leave it vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister who has previously led Russian negotiating teams, will again serve as chief negotiator. The delegation will also include Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, and senior General Staff officer Yuri Zhigarlovsky.
Ukraine’s delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov, the country’s foreign intelligence chief and primary negotiator. Other Ukrainian representatives are expected to include presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov and David Arakhamia, who leads President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s parliamentary faction.
European participation remains less clearly defined. While European officials are expected to be in Abu Dhabi for consultations, Moscow has said European representatives will not participate in the trilateral negotiations themselves. European governments have expressed concern that Washington could pursue an agreement that compromises Ukraine’s security or the broader European security order.
Expectations for a breakthrough remain low. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown little willingness to abandon his demands, while Ukraine has rejected a settlement that would effectively surrender its independence or limit its ability to determine its own security relationships.
Previous rounds of negotiations have produced some humanitarian results, including prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children, but have failed to resolve the central disputes over territory and security.
Trump has repeatedly pressed for an end to the conflict and has publicly urged Zelenskyy to accept a settlement. The president warned last month that failure to reach an agreement could have serious consequences.
Kushner acknowledged the difficulty of the negotiations, describing the conflict as “an extraordinarily difficult and complicated” one. He said the administration is approaching the discussions with “determination and realism,” with the goal of establishing a practical path toward lasting peace.
“By discussing postwar security, economic recovery, and the mechanisms needed to prevent future conflict, we hope to shift the focus from managing the war toward building the foundations for a durable peace,” Kushner wrote.
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