Zelenskyy: Russia refuses to discuss Black Sea de-escalation, halt to energy attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated during talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday that Russia claimed to have no mandate to discuss de-escalation in the Black Sea or a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy noted that Russia expressed a desire to continue striking Ukraine. David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, described the negotiations as some of the toughest to date, noting that the Russian side made strict demands and left little room for compromise.

Following the conclusion of the trilateral peace talks mediated by the United States, the Kremlin launched an onslaught against Ukraine. Politico EU reports that Kyiv was attacked with ballistic missiles and 123 attack drones on Thursday, resulting in one death and five injuries in the capital. While Ukraine reportedly shot down 94 drones and no missiles, Russia's defense ministry claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating they targeted electricity substations and drone production sites. Russia also reported shooting down approximately 70 Ukrainian drones over eight regions overnight.

Although both sides agreed to prepare for another major prisoner swap, Politico EU reports that heated debates occurred regarding territory and Europe's participation in future negotiations. Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, stated that every inch of land will be returned and described Ukraine as "an abscess that burst."

Brief written by urgent.news from Interfax-Ukraine, Politico EU — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.