Russian strikes kill one as Abu Dhabi peace talks enter second day
As representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States prepare to hold the second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long full-scale war, Russian attacks on Ukraine early Saturday left one person dead and 23 others injured , underscoring the fragile nature of the diplomatic effort.
One person was killed and four others were injured in Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv , according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. In Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, 19 people were injured in separate drone strikes, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
The attacks came even as diplomats were set to convene in the United Arab Emirates for the second day of discussions. As part of Washington’s push to end Moscow’s invasion, the talks mark the first face-to-face engagement between senior Ukrainian and Russian officials involving the Trump administration .
Ukraine is represented by National Security Chief Rustem Umerov , while Russia’s delegation is led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov , head of military intelligence. The US side is represented by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner , who are acting as mediators. The discussions have been described as “military-to-military” working-group talks .
Despite the renewed dialogue, both sides remain entrenched on territorial issues. Russia continues to demand the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region , while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused to relinquish Ukrainian territory that Russia has failed to occupy.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the talks are intended to encourage dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis. The White House described the first day of talks as productive , though significant obstacles remain unresolved.
President Zelenskyy has said that a US-Ukraine security agreement is “nearly ready” and is awaiting approval from President Donald Trump. Reports suggest that the UK and France are prepared to deploy troops on Ukrainian territory, though sensitive territorial issues remain unresolved.
Just hours before the trilateral talks began, Russian President Vladimir Putin held late-night discussions with Witkoff and Kushner. The Kremlin has reiterated its insistence that Ukraine withdraw its forces from eastern regions seized by Russia as a precondition for any peace agreement.
Even as negotiations continue, Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure , including electricity and heating systems, leaving millions struggling amid freezing winter conditions.
On the battlefield, Russia has captured about 63 square miles of territory in the past four weeks , while drone attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv have continued. The Trump administration has proposed a 20-point peace plan , now under discussion in Abu Dhabi.
The proposal envisages freezing the conflict along existing front lines and creating an 800-mile-long demilitarised zone . Ukraine would pledge not to join NATO for at least 20 years , in return for US security guarantees. However, uncertainty over Russian-occupied territories remains the key hurdle to any agreement.