Ukraine-Russia peace talks brokered by US begin in Abu Dhabi

Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States commenced a second round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, focusing on the long-term fate of territory in eastern Ukraine, which remains a significant obstacle in resolving the nearly four-year conflict. The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, expressed that Kyiv's team is pursuing "a just and lasting peace." The discussions are part of ongoing efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, with previous rounds of diplomacy having failed to produce a conclusive agreement (Primary Source). On the same day as the peace talks began, a Russian drone strike in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in the deaths of at least two individuals. This incident underscores the ongoing violence as negotiations take place. The lead negotiator from Ukraine described the first day of talks as "productive," indicating that the discussions aimed to achieve practical steps toward peace, including a potential prisoner exchange (France24, South China Morning Post). The talks are expected to continue into a second day, with representatives from all three nations engaging in discussions. Ukraine has stated that the conflict should be frozen along the current front line and has rejected any unilateral withdrawal of its forces. The focus of the peace talks will include military matters, as both sides seek to navigate the complexities of the ongoing war (The Hindu, Deutsche Welle).