On November 12, 2026, a meeting took place in Dublin between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to the French publication Le Monde and AFP, representatives from European nations—Germany, France, and the UK—joined the negotiations, signaling an expansion of the resolution format.
Format and Participants
According to AFP, Germany, France, and Britain were represented at the meeting by their advisers or diplomats, with the potential for other European states to be involved. Thus, in addition to the bilateral Kyiv-Washington track, an expanded multilateral framework was effectively formed in Dublin, where European capitals declared their readiness to participate in shaping a position on ending the war in Ukraine.
Venue: Casement Military Airbase
Irish media clarified that the meeting took place at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, the primary airbase and the only military airfield of the Irish Air Corps, located southwest of Dublin. It was at this airfield, according to reports, that Witkoff and Kushner landed before starting talks with the Ukrainian leader and European representatives.
Context: Negotiations in Moscow the Same Day
On the same day, November 12, the US envoys held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. As reported, the discussions covered the outcomes of a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi regarding the end of the war in Ukraine. Thus, in a single day, Witkoff and Kushner worked in two key capitals—Moscow and Dublin—indicating an intense diplomatic schedule surrounding the resolution.
Objectives of the Visit and Witkoff's Statements
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that he plans to discuss the results of the Moscow talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and persuade the Ukrainian side to choose a path to ending the war. Following his meeting with Putin, he also announced an agreement on a new round of trilateral negotiations and noted that representatives from European countries would join the next consultations on Ukraine—a format already effectively tested in Dublin.
Significance of the Dublin Track
Involving Germany, France, and the UK in direct consultations with Ukrainian and American negotiators confirms that European capitals are striving to maintain influence over the resolution process and not be excluded from key decisions. The combination of Moscow and Dublin contacts in one day demonstrates that the diplomatic process is moving along several parallel lines, while the final configuration of the peace track, including Europe's role and the format of future trilateral rounds, remains a subject of active work.
