# Europe to Join Ukraine Peace Talks Following Moscow and Dublin Meetings *World · World Desk · Published 2026-11-13T06:08:33Z* Canonical: https://amk.news/article/europe-to-join-ukraine-peace-talks-following-moscow-and-dublin-meetings > U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have announced that European representatives will participate in the upcoming round of Ukraine peace negotiations following high-level discussions in Moscow and Dublin. The diplomatic push also produced an agreement for the largest prisoner-of-war exchange between Russia and Ukraine since 2022. ## Key points - American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff announced on November 12, 2026, that European representatives will join upcoming peace negotiations. - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the diplomatic push secured an agreement for a massive prisoner-of-war exchange between Russia and Ukraine. - Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his opposition to stationing foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine during discussions with American envoys in Moscow. American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff announced on November 12, 2026, that European representatives will participate in the next round of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, following diplomatic discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin. ## What was agreed during the latest diplomatic meetings? During a fast-paced day of shuttle diplomacy on Thursday, U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff secured an agreement to expand future peace negotiations to include European delegates. Speaking alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky at a military airbase outside Dublin, Kushner stated that international negotiators could not finalize a peace agreement without European leaders present at the bargaining table. Zelensky confirmed that European delegates would join the upcoming sessions, which are set to address potential ceasefires, de-escalation steps, and broader regional security structures. _Watch: Zelenskyy says Europe will join next round of Ukraine peace talks — Al Jazeera English_ The diplomatic push also yielded a major humanitarian breakthrough, with both warring parties agreeing to a massive prisoner-of-war exchange. Kushner indicated that the arrangement would return thousands of individuals to their families, marking what could become the largest prisoner trade since the full-scale Russian invasion commenced in February 2022. Zelensky described the swap as a concrete achievement that would return more than a thousand Ukrainian soldiers home. However, full operational specifics and an exact timeline for the transfer remain undisclosed. ## How did world leaders and European diplomats react? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the inclusion of European representatives, noting that European participation aligns with Ukraine's long-term aspirations to join the European Union. Speaking at a press conference in the Irish capital alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Zelensky expressed optimism regarding the diplomatic trajectory, highlighting a potential window of opportunity to achieve a negotiated outcome by early 2027. Martin emphasized that Russia's aggression has fundamentally transformed European security, noting that multiple European Union member states perceive an existential threat if Ukraine falls. _P20251228DT-0417 President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago (Image: Wikimedia Commons)_ European Union officials reacted to the announcement with a mixture of satisfaction and institutional tension. Speaking to the BBC, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remarked that Kremlin acceptance of European delegates demonstrates Moscow's realization that Europe remains a principal global player, though she expressed skepticism regarding Russia's true commitment to a lasting settlement. Reporting by DW revealed significant friction within the bloc over who should fill the designated seat, as Kallas laughed ironically when asked why Europe received only one seat compared to two for the United States. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a critical letter to EU Council President Antonio Costa warning against internal division, while leaders like Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa noted a bad mood among European officials regarding their prior exclusion from direct talks. > "We cannot conclude this deal without the Europeans being at the table," U.S. envoy Jared Kushner stated following meetings in Dublin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. ## What is the background of the conflict and recent talks? The diplomatic momentum follows preliminary discussions held in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week, where Russian and Ukrainian delegations engaged in direct face-to-face talks for the first time in nine months. While those meetings failed to produce a comprehensive territorial breakthrough, they established the framework for the prisoner exchange and paved the way for the U.S. delegation's subsequent trip to the Kremlin. During discussions at the Senate Palace in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin maintained his core demands, emphasizing that Russia's territorial claims in eastern Ukraine remain unchanged. According to Time Magazine, Putin strongly reiterated his opposition to stationing foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, telling American envoys that such a move would be viewed by Moscow as a continuation of military conflict. _Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Image: Wikimedia Commons)_ The conflict traces back to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas region, culminating in the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who took office in 2019, has consistently resisted Russian demands to cede the entirety of the Donbas region. Currently, Russian forces occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, with ongoing border incursions and military disruptions. Recent developments have also been marked by technical frictions; CNN reported that Ukrainian authorities experienced renewed restrictions on Starshield satellite operations amidst the ongoing diplomatic exchanges. ## What is still unclear about the peace negotiations? Despite public statements from U.S. and Ukrainian officials, several critical elements of the expanded peace process remain unconfirmed or disputed by the involved parties. Most notably, the Kremlin has not issued a formal confirmation that it has officially agreed to European participation in future multilateral sessions. While special envoy Steve Witkoff told Russian state media that European delegates would attend, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky previously expressed skepticism regarding European involvement, and Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov focused publicly on upcoming bilateral engagements between Putin and Donald Trump at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China. Furthermore, European nations have not agreed on a single representative to speak on behalf of the continent. While EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU Council President Antonio Costa have been floated as potential representatives, several national heads of state continue to demand direct individual seats at the negotiating table. The precise date, venue, and full structural format for the next round of negotiations remain unannounced. **Sources:** This report draws on coverage by [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckn80j9jv3jxo), [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/12/world/europe/russia-ukraine-witkoff-kushner.html), [DW.com](https://www.dw.com/en/eu-leaders-tussle-over-who-to-send-to-ukraine-russia-peace-talks/a-79935468), [Time Magazine](https://time.com/article/2026/11/12/ukraine-russia-peace-deal-talks-putin-zelensky-witkoff-kushner/), [Kyiv Post](https://www.kyivpost.com/post/89972), [France 24](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261113-live-zelensky-and-kushner-confirm-that-europe-will-join-next-round-of-russia-ukraine-talks), [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/11/12/after-meeting-putin-us-envoys-say-europe-join-talks-ending-ukraine-war/), [Le Monde.fr](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/11/13/us-envoys-say-europeans-will-be-included-in-upcoming-ukraine-peace-talks_6779500_4.html). 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