Russia, Ukraine and US start second day of Abu Dhabi peace talks

On Wednesday, Russian, Ukrainian and US officials commenced the second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, with Kyiv and Washington describing the meetings as constructive yet producing no early signs of progress. The Ukrainian and Russian negotiators refrained from disclosing details after Monday's US-mediated discussions, which marked the first encounter between the belligerent parties since February.

Moscow and Kyiv entered the talks with starkly divergent perspectives on the terms of a potential settlement. Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, announced on the Telegram app, "We are starting the second day of the talks... First, there will be a trilateral format with the United States and Russia. After that, we will have a separate meeting with the European partners."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is not attending the deliberations alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, stated on Monday that the constructive discussions had encompassed humanitarian and security concerns. He hinted at a potential summit of Russian, Ukrainian and US leaders on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio termed the initial day of talks as highly productive, without offering specifics.

The concluding day of the talks is the final scheduled meeting. Despite President Donald Trump's public optimism, there has been no indication of substantial concessions or the introduction of new issues over four-and-a-half years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The conflict has seen Russia controlling roughly one-fifth of Ukraine, but the disputes extend beyond territorial control. Issues of future security guarantees and Moscow's demand for Ukraine to adopt a neutral status and refrain from joining NATO are also at the forefront. Each side claims the other initiated strikes overnight.

Russian forces reportedly targeted six significant electricity substations in Ukraine's central regions, while Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz reported Russian drone attacks on one of its facilities in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, resulting in a fire and equipment damage.

Reports also emerged that Russia had sunk two cargo vessels and a tanker in the Black Sea, causing casualties and equipment damage. However, Reuters could not independently verify these accounts. Trump has heightened pressure on Kyiv, urging Ukraine to reach a deal or face "a very bad thing." He once stated the war was nearing a resolution in a "big beautiful agreement," yet he has frequently forecasted breakthroughs that have not materialized.

The intensified American pursuit of a deal has rallied European officials to advocate for a seat at the negotiating table to strive for an end to Europe's most lethal conflict since World War Two.