Ukraine and Russia begin second round of US-mediated talks amid airstrikes

Wednesday 04 - 13:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Ukraine and Russia begin second round of US-mediated talks amid airstrikes

Delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States gathered in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for a second round of trilateral peace negotiations. The talks unfolded against the backdrop of Russia's largest aerial assault on Ukraine this year, which struck just 24 hours earlier.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's national security and defense council secretary and head of its delegation, confirmed the discussions' start on Telegram. He described a trilateral format, with plans for separate working groups followed by joint synchronization of positions.

The atmosphere remains tense following Moscow's massive overnight strikes on Monday, which targeted multiple Ukrainian regions. Russian forces deployed 71 missiles and 450 drones, including nearly 300 Iranian-designed Shahed models, hitting energy infrastructure during the winter's coldest snap, with temperatures plunging to -24°C in some areas.

The barrage disrupted heating in cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, leaving hundreds of thousands without warmth in freezing conditions. At least 10 people suffered injuries.

President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the attack as evidence that Moscow exploited a Trump-negotiated energy infrastructure ceasefire, which expired on February 1, to stockpile weapons instead of pursuing diplomacy. "Every such Russian strike confirms that mindsets in Moscow have not changed: they continue betting on war and Ukraine's destruction," he posted on social media, noting that his team's negotiation strategy would adapt accordingly.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed this, stating that neither the anticipated Abu Dhabi diplomacy nor Russia's promises to the United States deterred it from terrorizing civilians during the harshest winter.

These talks follow an initial round on January 23 and 24 in the same location, which Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov called "constructive" but acknowledged required serious further work.

Territorial disputes form the core impasse. Russia demands Ukraine withdraw from about 20 percent of Donetsk region still under Kyiv's control. Ukraine rejects ceding land not won militarily by Russian forces, preferring to freeze the conflict along current frontlines while securing robust security guarantees from Western partners.

Russia's delegation is led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, GRU military intelligence director and a Western-sanctioned naval officer implicated in the invasion. The US team features special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law to President Trump.

Ukrainian officials voice growing skepticism about breakthroughs given irreconcilable stances. A recent Kyiv International Institute of Sociology poll showed 43 percent of Ukrainians doubt the war will end in 2026, up 14 percentage points from December.

Analyst Oleksandr Kraiev of the Ukrainian Prism think tank captured the prevailing mood: "We have little faith a real peace process will emerge. For now, we aim for a ceasefire as a prerequisite to any talks... We cannot trust Russians on a peace deal."