The first three-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US have ended in Abu Dhabi with no apparent breakthrough, as fighting rages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky raised the possibility of a second meeting as early as next week, while an American official said a new round would begin on 1 February.
The two-day talks ended after waves of Russian air strikes targeted Ukraine's badly damaged energy infrastructure, killing one person and injuring 35 others, Ukrainian officials said. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking an ambulance in Ukrainian territory under its control, killing three medics, and later reported a Ukrainian missile attack on energy infrastructure in Belgorod.
The BBC could not independently verify the reports. The peace discussions were the first trilateral meeting since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending the war, Zelensky posted on X. I highly value the understanding of the need for American monitoring and oversight of the process of ending the war and ensuring genuine security.
All sides agreed to "report back to their capitals" and coordinate further steps with their leaders. The decision to hold further talks was seen as a positive development, with a lot of work reportedly achieved over the two days.
However, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, reported casualties and damage to critical infrastructure, further complicating Ukraine’s ability to deal with the harsh winter conditions, which have seen temperatures drop to around -12°C.
On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump hinted at a peace initiative but has not officially confirmed participation from Putin. The situation in the occupied regions remains tense, with demands from Russia for territorial concessions vehemently rejected by Ukraine, emphasizing that the key issues at stake remain primarily those of land.
The two-day talks ended after waves of Russian air strikes targeted Ukraine's badly damaged energy infrastructure, killing one person and injuring 35 others, Ukrainian officials said. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking an ambulance in Ukrainian territory under its control, killing three medics, and later reported a Ukrainian missile attack on energy infrastructure in Belgorod.
The BBC could not independently verify the reports. The peace discussions were the first trilateral meeting since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending the war, Zelensky posted on X. I highly value the understanding of the need for American monitoring and oversight of the process of ending the war and ensuring genuine security.
All sides agreed to "report back to their capitals" and coordinate further steps with their leaders. The decision to hold further talks was seen as a positive development, with a lot of work reportedly achieved over the two days.
However, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, reported casualties and damage to critical infrastructure, further complicating Ukraine’s ability to deal with the harsh winter conditions, which have seen temperatures drop to around -12°C.
On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump hinted at a peace initiative but has not officially confirmed participation from Putin. The situation in the occupied regions remains tense, with demands from Russia for territorial concessions vehemently rejected by Ukraine, emphasizing that the key issues at stake remain primarily those of land.
