Ukraine, Russia, and US agree to hold further talks in UAE next week
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Ukraine and Russia concluded two days of US-brokered direct talks on Saturday and agreed to continue negotiations next week in Abu Dhabi, even as fresh Russian strikes raised doubts over prospects for a breakthrough.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the discussions were constructive and that many issues were addressed. He added that the next round of talks could take place as early as next week.
A spokesperson for the UAE government said the meetings, which involved senior military officials from both sides, were held in a constructive and positive atmosphere and focused on outstanding elements of a US-proposed peace framework and confidence-building measures.
The talks came as Russia launched drones and missiles across Ukraine, cutting electricity and heating supplies to millions in sub-zero temperatures.
Ukrainian authorities said more than one million people in Kyiv and Chernihiv were left without power, with around half of Kyiv’s apartment blocks without heating. Residents in the capital expressed little optimism. Many were forced to seek shelter overnight as explosions lit up the sky.
Kyiv accused Moscow of undermining negotiations through continued attacks. The European Union accused Russia of deliberately depriving civilians of heat, while Zelensky last week declared a state of emergency in the energy sector.
Both sides said the fate of territory in the eastern Donbas region remains the main unresolved issue. Russia has reiterated its demand that Ukraine withdraw from the region, a condition Kyiv rejects. Zelensky said the Donbas issue is central to any settlement.
The Abu Dhabi talks marked the first face-to-face meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators on the current US administration’s peace plan. Despite renewed diplomatic momentum, both sides remain deadlocked, with Moscow warning it will seek full control of eastern Ukraine by force if talks fail.
