Politics1 min read

U.S.-mediated talks on ending Russia-Ukraine war begin in Abu Dhabi

By · Via NPR · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The two-day session in Abu Dhabi marks the first three-way meeting between the parties since February, with Ukrainian delegates consulting European and NATO officials ahead of the formal talks. The diplomatic push comes as Ukraine reported enduring 162 Russian drones alongside a ballistic missile overnight, while Russia claimed it intercepted 155 Ukrainian drones across eight regions and Crimea. Major obstacles persist because Moscow insists on territorial withdrawals and neutrality, whereas Kyiv refuses to abandon uncaptured lands or restrict its Western alliances.

Key points

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin insists Ukraine must abandon NATO aspirations and withdr…: Russian President Vladimir Putin insists Ukraine must abandon NATO aspirations and withdraw from four partially occupied regions before settling.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demands an immediate ceasefire and direct talks w…: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demands an immediate ceasefire and direct talks while rejecting any limits on national defense.
  • U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are seeking a negotiated settlement to establ…: U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are seeking a negotiated settlement to establish long-term European security for Ukraine.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States opened Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates, as Washington renews its push to end the war that followed Moscow's all-out invasion nearly five years ago.

The two-day session in the UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi, is the first such meeting since February. It will focus on security guarantees, the White House said before the discussions. Russia sees NATO as a threat, and Ukraine wants to prevent future Russian invasions.

Hopes of progress in ending Europe's biggest conflict since World War II are tempered by the absence of any significant breakthroughs in three previous rounds of talks early this year. The war has already killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians, analysts and humanitarian organizations say.

There are no signs the fighting is abating, and the talks took place against a backdrop of new long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine. The two armies are largely deadlocked on the front line.

Russia launched 162 drones of various types and a ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight,…

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