Russia and Ukraine envoys meet in Abu Dhabi for US-brokered talks
KYIV, Ukraine -- Envoys from Moscow and Kyiv met in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for another round of U.S.-brokered talks on ending the almost four-year war as Russian cluster munitions killed seven people at a market in Ukraine.The delegations from Moscow and Kyiv were joined in the capital of the United Arab Emirates by U.S.officials, according to Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief, who was present at the meeting.
Umerov said on social media that the planned two-day negotiations in Abu Dhabi started with all three delegations present, after which negotiators will break into groups according to topics and then meet as a full group again at the end.The American team was due to include special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S.
President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who also attended last month’s meeting, the White House said.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov wouldn’t offer any details on the Abu Dhabi talks and said that Moscow wasn’t planning to comment on their results.He said that “the doors for a peaceful settlement are open,” but that Moscow will proceed with its military campaign until Kyiv meets its demands.Last month’s discussions in Abu Dhabi, part of a U.S.push to end the fighting, yielded some progress but no breakthrough on key issues, officials said.The current talks also coincide with the expiry of the last remaining nuclear arms pact between Russia and the United States on Thursday.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could extend the terms of the treaty or renegotiate its conditions in an effort to prevent a new nuclear arms race.The Abu Dhabi talks were held amid Ukrainian outrage over major Russian attacks on its energy system, which have occurred each winter since Russia launched its all-out invasion of its neighbor on Feb.24, 2022.
A huge Russian bombardment overnight from Monday to Tuesday included hundreds of drones and a record 32 ballistic missiles, wounding at least 10 people.This ca...