Shafaq News- Abu Dhabi

Russia and Ukraine concluded on Saturday a new round of direct talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, marking a second set of discussions involving Washington as the sponsoring party.

Citing Emirati official sources, Politico reported that the meeting, led by President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, centered on key elements of a peace framework previously proposed by the United States.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the discussions as constructive, signaling that additional talks were likely. “A lot was discussed, and it is important that the talks were constructive,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Kyiv remains ready to pursue an agreement aimed at halting the war that erupted in February 2022.

From Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated continued openness to dialogue while addressing the prospect of further engagement with the Ukrainian delegation.

Despite the diplomatic track, developments on the ground remain complex with Russia’s Defense Ministry reporting the interception of 85 Ukrainian drones across several regions, including Kursk (26), Tula (19), Lipetsk (11), and Kaliningrad (15).

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Armed Forces recorded 136 clashes over the past 24 hours, listing Russian losses of 930 troops, four tanks, 31 artillery systems, a multiple rocket launcher, 357 drones, and 88 vehicles.