Kushner says 'meaningful progress' made toward ending war in Ukraine
Photo: Jared Kushner (press office)
Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner has summed up the results of the peace talks in Abu Dhabi, as well as meetings with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and European representatives. According to him, the discussions resulted in significant progress in understanding both sides' concerns and a number of agreements, according to his post on X.
"Today concluded three days of intense diplomacy aimed at ending the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine... A tremendous amount of work has gone into restarting direct negotiations after many months. We have made meaningful progress in understanding both sides’ concerns, identifying possible solutions, and establishing a path forward," Kushner said.
According to him, Ukraine and Russia agreed to expand the next round of negotiations to include European partners. This, in turn, will make it possible to address broader issues concerning Europe's postwar security arrangements alongside territorial issues between Ukraine and Russia.
"A lasting end to the fighting requires credible security guarantees, deconfliction mechanisms, and reciprocal de-escalation commitments that reduce the risk of future conflict," Trump's son-in-law emphasized.
He added that the American side had agreed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to maintain close contact, and Washington also confirmed that no broader security arrangements in Europe would be agreed upon without taking Ukraine's security concerns into account.
"We will begin discussing these interconnected issues in parallel, with the understanding that, apart from humanitarian measures, nothing will be finalized until a comprehensive agreement is reached," the post reads.
The parties are also working to organize the largest prisoner exchange since the start of the war, while the US expects to announce "the negotiating tracks, schedule, and additional details" in the near future.
Kushner stressed that US President Donald Trump is determined to bring this war to an end and that Washington will do everything possible to achieve a breakthrough that will stop the hostilities.
"Significant differences remain, but we are encouraged by the progress made. We will undertake whatever hard diplomatic work is necessary to find a breakthrough that ends the fighting and creates the foundation for lasting peace, a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine, and a more stable Europe," Trump's son-in-law concluded.
What else is important to know
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said yesterday that a "big five" of countries could represent Europe in possible peace talks, including Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Poland.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the formation of Europe's security architecture will directly depend on when and how the war in Ukraine ends. He stressed that providing security guarantees to Ukraine already means providing security guarantees to Europe, since Ukraine is the continent's defensive line.
