Three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States opened Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The two-day session is the first such meeting since February, and it will focus on future security guarantees for both countries, the White House said.
Jared Kushner, a son-in-law of President Donald Trump, said he believed there were “some good ideas” for narrowing the gap between the sides. Kushner and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff are leading the American effort. Hopes are modest, though, because three earlier rounds this year produced no major breakthroughs. The war has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians, according to analysts and humanitarian groups.
Fighting continues. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 162 drones and a ballistic missile overnight. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down 155 Ukrainian drones over eight Russian regions and Crimea.
The two governments remain far apart. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from four regions Moscow annexed in 2022, abandon its NATO bid and accept limits on its military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in Denmark on Tuesday, rejects those terms. Ukraine says an immediate ceasefire should come first.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomed the focus on collective security. Some European Union officials, however, worry the U.S. proposals are too accommodating to Moscow. Russia has objected to European participation in the three-way talks but said EU representatives could join later.
