Global & US Headlines
Witkoff & Kushner Fly to Abu Dhabi for Second Russia-Ukraine-US Trilateral, Feb 4–5
On 3 Feb 2026 the White House confirmed that envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will attend a second round of U.S.–Russia–Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi scheduled for 4-5 February, following an inaugural session in late January.
Focusing Facts
- The first trilateral meeting ran for more than three hours on 24 Jan 2026 in Abu Dhabi.
- Russia’s delegation is led by GRU chief Admiral Igor Kostyukov, while Ukraine is represented by intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov and NSA Rustem Umerov.
- The U.S. team also includes Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and EUCOM commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich alongside envoys Witkoff, Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum.
Context
Back-channel envoys shaping front-line wars recalls Henry Kissinger’s secret 1971 Beijing visit that set the stage for the 1972 Shanghai Communiqué: unofficial actors cracked doors formal diplomats could not. Hosting the talks in oil-rich Abu Dhabi echoes Doha’s 2008 mediation in Lebanon and the UAE’s 2020 Abraham Accords, signalling the Gulf’s two-decade ascent as a neutral negotiating hub and the broader diffusion of diplomatic gravity away from Washington and Geneva. It also highlights a persistent U.S. trend since 2017 of outsourcing delicate files to politically connected deal-makers rather than the career State Department, a move that can either yield nimble breakthroughs or undercut institutional expertise. On a 100-year timeline this round matters only if it births a durable mechanism—cease-fire lines, monitoring regimes, reparations—otherwise it risks becoming another Paris 1919-style conference whose lofty words failed to prevent renewed conflict. Still, the willingness of the GRU chief and Ukraine’s spy master to share a table points to war-fatigue on both sides, hinting at a possible Korea-style frozen front that could shape Eurasian security for decades.
Perspectives
Russian state-owned media
Sputnik International, TASS — Present the Abu-Dhabi negotiations as a landmark success that shows Moscow and Washington can jointly push an "historic" peace effort, stressing Trump envoys’ ability to make “the impossible possible.” By spotlighting Russia’s willingness to talk and praising Trump’s mediators while omitting any mention of Russian strikes or culpability, the coverage burnishes the Kremlin’s image as a constructive actor and deflects blame for the war.
Ukrainian national outlets
Ukrainska Pravda, Interfax-Ukraine — Report the planned talks but underscore that Russia is still attacking Ukraine and quote the White House line that Trump blames Joe Biden for the war, cataloguing the Ukrainian delegation and prior Russian aggression. By foregrounding ongoing Russian assaults and political finger-pointing, the stories convey Kyiv’s skepticism about Kremlin intentions and subtly question whether Trump’s envoys can secure real concessions.
Regional state news agencies from non-combatant countries
Anadolu Ajansı, Azeri-Press — Relay the White House announcement that Witkoff and Kushner will join “historic” trilateral talks, largely repeating official quotes and detailing the meeting logistics. The straight-wire style, heavy reliance on U.S. press-office language and lack of independent context suggest an incentive to maintain diplomatic neutrality and avoid alienating either Moscow or Washington.