US attempts new peace push at first Russia-Ukraine talks in nine months

Russian and ‌Ukrainian officials met ​in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first peace talks since February as US President Donald Trump's envoys launched a new push to end the war in Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the US-brokered meeting as very productive, without giving details.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the talks "constructive and quite substantive", and said they had included humanitarian and security issues. Addressing reporters later in Denmark, Zelenskiy said ‌he was pleased with messages he had been receiving from the two US presidential envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

"I see changes. I am very happy about what I hear," Zelenskiy said. "The release of prisoners (of war) is a priority. They spoke in detail about the substance of security guarantees for Ukraine and the foundations for ensuring these guarantees function over the long term," he posted on X.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said it was too early to assess the meeting ahead of a second day of talks on Wednesday. The meeting followed US contacts with both ‌sides in recent weeks that Kushner said had narrowed gaps between their positions.

"We are encouraged by the constructive discussions today," Kushner wrote on X after the first day wrapped up. He said the US side was working to end the war and "establish the security arrangements ‌necessary for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine and lasting peace across Europe."

GULF BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE ON TERMS FOR A DEAL Despite public optimism from Trump, the warring sides remain far apart on terms for a possible settlement, more than 4-1/2 years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces control about a fifth of Ukraine, but territory is not the only issue at stake. Others include future security guarantees, which both sides want, and Moscow's demands that Ukraine adopt neutral status and not join NATO. Trump has intensified pressure on Kyiv to reach a deal, saying it is time for Ukraine to end the war or face "a very bad thing". Last week he ⁠said the war ​was close to being settled in a "big beautiful agreement", but he has frequently ⁠predicted breakthroughs that have not materialised.

RUSSIA WANTS SECURITY FRAMEWORK TO COME FIRST Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underlined Moscow's preference for negotiating a broad European security framework before tackling the specifics of the war.

"The idea of defining clear parameters for a future security architecture, and only then moving on to resolving the actual Russia-Ukraine conflict, is absolutely ⁠reasonable," he said in Moscow. Zelenskiy told journalists he had deep reservations about the proposals for a new security architecture.

"We are all very cautious with this topic because nobody really understands 100% what they want," he said. "Everybody is ready for dialogue. First, stop the war in Ukraine. Second, security guarantees for Ukraine. Third, maybe ​some dialogue about the topic of security in Europe, in the world." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday wider security talks should only follow a ceasefire. Lavrov rejected the notion of a truce, saying the Europeans were trying to ⁠secure breathing space for Ukraine.

The new American drive for a deal has galvanized European officials into pushing for a place at the table to seek an end to Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two. Before the main meeting, the Ukrainians met separately with European, NATO and European Union representatives and the two American envoys. France said lasting peace ⁠was ​not possible without addressing European security, and Europeans had to be involved.

European governments have mostly shunned contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the war, though Finnish and Norwegian leaders held a call with him on October 27 that was criticised by some of their European peers. Russia had made clear it did not see a place for Europeans at the meeting with the Ukrainians and Americans.

Rubio, speaking in Paris, said the US aimed to expand the trilateral talks to include Europe at some point. NEW ATTACKS

On the eve of the talks, ⁠Trump said Washington saw a "very strong inclination" towards ending the war, with both sides "tired of fighting". There has been no sign publicly that Putin is willing to drop his demand that Ukraine surrender the entire eastern region of Donbas before a peace deal can be ⁠struck. Zelenskiy has refused to hand over land that his forces have ⁠died defending.

Russian advances have slowed, but Moscow has been pounding Ukrainian cities and energy sites, while Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil refineries and other infrastructure. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking to Reuters, said he had urged Rubio to accelerate deliveries of interceptors as Russia ramps up attacks on energy targets.

"We should work on the peace track, but in parallel we should continue to pressure Russia," ‌Sybiha said. (Additional reporting by Dan Flynn and ‌Yuliia Dysa in Kyiv, Simon Lewis and John Irish in Paris, Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk and Susan Heavey in Washington, Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen; Writing by ​Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Ron Popeski and Lincoln Feast.)