Why Witkoff and Kushner flew to Moscow after Abu Dhabi talks

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Thursday to meet Vladimir Putin after difficult Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi, seeking progress on a prisoner exchange and European participation in future negotiations. The Abu Dhabi talks lasted two days, with officials describing Tuesday's session as "constructive" but Wednesday's as "neutral." Kushner acknowledged there is no trust between the parties, while Ukrainian negotiators said Russian delegates arrived with strict directives from Moscow that limited their flexibility. The US position has shifted toward including European allies in the next round of talks, particularly to address Putin's broader concerns about NATO and European security architecture. European officials remain wary, with some German officials viewing the process as a potential "Russian trap."