Russia-Ukraine Talks to Resume in Abu Dhabi Amid Ongoing Strikes
KYIV, Ukraine — Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine are set to resume this week, with a senior Kremlin official confirming that a postponed round of U.S.-brokered talks will go ahead in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday. The negotiations unfold against a grim backdrop of persistent frontline combat and deadly strikes deep behind Ukrainian lines.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the planned trilateral meeting, a follow-up to discussions held last month in the same location. The talks were initially slated for the weekend but were delayed due to what Peskov termed scheduling issues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Sunday that his delegation would attend.
The resumption comes as the conflict approaches a grim milestone—the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion later this month. While the Trump administration has pushed for compromises over the past year, a breakthrough on core disputes remains elusive. Peskov described the process as "very complex," noting that while some issues have seen movement, others remain deeply divisive.
A central and unresolved point of contention is the status of occupied Ukrainian territories, particularly in the east. Moscow insists on keeping lands its forces have seized and claims rights to other areas it has failed to capture militarily.
The diplomatic maneuvering coincides with unrelenting violence. Over the weekend, a Russian aerial attack killed 12 miners on a bus, the latest in a series of barrages targeting civilian infrastructure. These strikes have crippled Ukraine's power grid, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis during winter.
In a related development, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated Monday that Kyiv is implementing measures to block Russia's alleged use of Starlink satellite services to guide its attack drones. The initiative involves registering all Starlink terminals within Ukraine, disabling unauthorized devices. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded on social media platform X, stating, "Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked," and offered further cooperation.
Voices & Perspectives:
"Any dialogue is preferable to silence, but we must be clear-eyed. These talks cannot become a vehicle for legitimizing conquest. The timing, right before the invasion anniversary, feels calculated to pressure a weary Ukraine." — Anya Petrova, Security Analyst at the Kyiv-based Eurasia Policy Institute.
"The mere fact that communication channels remain open, even amidst the fighting, is a fragile sign of hope. The Abu Dhabi venue offers a neutral space where incremental, practical steps might be possible, even on secondary issues." — David Chen, Professor of International Relations, Georgetown University.
"This is a farce. Negotiating while Russia rains missiles on our cities and steals our land? It normalizes atrocity. Every day of talks without a ceasefire is a day the Kremlin uses to consolidate its occupation and shatter more lives." — Marko Bryzhytskyi, Volunteer Medic recently returned from the Donetsk region. His tone is sharp and emotionally charged.
"The Starlink counter-measure is a fascinating microcosm of modern hybrid war—a tech billionaire becomes a frontline actor. It shows how non-state tools are now critical to national defense and how battlefields extend into digital and orbital domains." — Priya Sharma, Technology and Warfare Editor at *Strategic Review*.
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Reporting contributed from Tallinn, Estonia.
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