The first in-person talks involving Russian, Ukrainian, and American representatives wrapped up Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian state media signaling that negotiators made tangible progress. "Provided there is readiness to move forward—and Ukraine is ready—further meetings will take place," Zelensky posted, adding that that could happen as soon as next week. The group met for two days in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the New York Times reports. It's been four years since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The delegations worked from a 20-point draft peace plan first developed last fall in negotiations between the Trump administration and Russia and later revised with input from Kyiv, Washington, European governments, and others. Zelensky said the sides discussed a potential US role in supervising the process of ending the war, though he did not specify how that would be structured. Military officials present reportedly drew up a list of technical and security issues to be handled at a possible follow-up session. The talks also intersect with near-finished negotiations between Washington and Kyiv over long-term U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine.
The meeting covered a broad range of military and economic matters and included the possibility of a ceasefire before a deal, an official told the AP. There was not yet an agreement on a final framework for oversight and operation of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is occupied by Russia and is the largest in Europe. Despite the diplomatic activity, Russia continued its attacks, per the Times. Early Saturday, Russian forces launched 15 missiles and more than 350 drones, mainly at Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing one person and damaging a hospital and maternity ward, according to Ukrainian authorities.
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