White House cautiously upbeat about Russia-Ukraine peace talks this week

The White House is "cautiously optimistic" as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine resume in Abu Dhabi this week, U.S. officials said on Monday. Why it matters: The talks on Tuesday and Wednesday will be the first time the parties have met with U.S. mediators present since February, when they were suspended due to the war in Iran. White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have worked for weeks to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to restart negotiations. President Trump and his team hope Putin will be more willing to compromise after the U.S. lifted sanctions on Russian diesel sales and took other steps welcomed by Moscow. "The relations we have built with Putin will be instrumental in these negotiations," a U.S. official said. After the meetings in Abu Dhabi, Witkoff and Kushner may travel to Moscow and Kyiv to speak directly with Putin and Zelensky, a U.S. official said. Yes, but: The parties remain far apart, particularly over potential territorial concessions by Ukraine. Russia's escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities and Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire have cast doubt on prospects for meaningful progress. Behind the scenes: Over the last two weeks, Witkoff and Kushner had daily phone calls — sometimes multiple times a day — with Russian and Ukrainian officials to prepare for the upcoming talks, U.S. officials said. What they're saying: U.S. officials who briefed reporters on Monday struck a positive tone despite skepticism in Europe and Ukraine about Putin's willingness to end the war. "There is a shot to make significant progress towards a deal and to try and bridge the gaps," a U.S. official said. "Getting the parties back to the table wasn't easy to do and we see promising signs as mediators." The official added that Witkoff and Kushner want to use the talks to "crystallize" the decisions Putin and Zelensky will have to make. Driving the news: The talks in Abu Dhabi will focus on two tracks: A military working group led by the comm