U.S., Russia, and Ukraine Resume Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi

Three-way peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States opened Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. This marks the first such meeting since February and aims to end the conflict that began with Moscow's full-scale invasion nearly five years ago.

The White House stated the two-day session will focus on security guarantees. A core dispute remains: Russia views NATO as a threat, while Ukraine seeks mechanisms to prevent future invasions. The absence of breakthroughs in three previous rounds of talks early this year has tempered hopes for immediate progress.

Key figures from all three sides led the delegations. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and envoy Steve Witkoff represent the United States. Vladimir Medinsky heads the Russian team, while Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, leads the Ukrainian delegation. Umerov noted that the day began with a meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. officials and representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, NATO, and the European Commission.

Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting continues. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 162 drones and a ballistic missile overnight. In response, Russia's Ministry of Defense said its forces shot down 155 Ukrainian drones above eight Russian regions and the Crimean Peninsula. Analysts and humanitarian organizations estimate the war has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians.

The two nations remain far apart on territorial and military demands. President Vladimir Putin requires Ukraine to withdraw troops from the four regions Moscow annexed in 2022: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. He also demands Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO and accept strict military limits. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejects voluntary cession of territory not taken by force and opposes caps on Ukraine's military, viewing Western security guarantees as essential.

President Trump described a potential European security deal as a big agreement involving more than Ukraine. Kushner said these talks will set the stage for broader multilateral engagement between Russia and European partners. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow welcomes the U.S. proposal to prioritize collective security in the settlement negotiations. Russia has objected to European involvement in the initial three-way talks but allowed EU representatives to join later.