Why Are US Leaders Meeting Putin?American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday, November 12, 2026, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as the United States pushes for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.Ukraine peace talks

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The meeting comes after two days of talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Those discussions ended with plans for another major prisoner exchange, but no public breakthrough on ending the war.

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The conflict has lasted about four and a half years, and disagreements over land remain a major obstacle to peace. The latest meeting is another attempt to find a way forward, but there is no guarantee that the leaders will reach an agreement.

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What Is Stopping Ukraine peace talks?

One of the biggest problems is the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine surrender the entire region as part of a peace agreement. Ukraine has strongly rejected that demand.

The disagreement over territory has made negotiations difficult because both sides have different ideas about what a final agreement should look like.

American mediators have also tried to move discussions towards security guarantees and rebuilding Ukraine after the war. Security guarantees are promises or arrangements intended to help protect a country from future attacks.

However, no major compromise had been announced when Reuters reported the arrival of the US envoys in Moscow.

Another Prisoner Exchange Is Planned

Although the recent talks did not produce a public breakthrough on ending the war, they did result in plans for another major prisoner exchange.

Prisoner exchanges allow countries at war to return captured soldiers to their own side. Such agreements can bring relief to families who have spent months or years waiting for news about loved ones.

The Abu Dhabi discussions were significant because they marked the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, in nine months.

The reported progress on prisoner exchanges offers a limited sign that discussions can produce practical results even when the wider conflict remains unresolved.

Will the Moscow Meeting End the War?

US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about efforts to reach a peace agreement. However, the latest developments show that major disagreements remain.

A lasting deal would need to address territory, security and the future relationship between Russia and Ukraine. European governments have also stressed that their security concerns must be considered in any wider agreement.

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The arrival of the US envoys is an important diplomatic development, but a meeting alone does not mean that a ceasefire or peace deal has been reached.

For now, the outcome depends on whether the parties can move beyond their existing positions and agree on terms they are prepared to accept.

The Ukraine peace talks remain a developing story. Global News Arena will continue to follow verified updates on the Moscow meeting, prisoner exchanges and any announcement of progress towards peace.

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