Ukraine talks resume in Abu Dhabi
US and European officials meet with Russian and Ukrainian representatives this week to discuss post-war security frameworks and energy independence.
By Hiroshi Ferrari ·
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that negotiations regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe have made progress. He indicated that the talks focus on the structural arrangements to be in place once fighting with Russia concludes. Rubio made these remarks before departing for Paris, where he plans to meet with G7 foreign ministers. He noted that security arrangements have been a central theme in American discussions about the conflict since it began.
The United States will be represented in Abu Dhabi by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Kushner is also the son-in-law of President Donald Trump. These US-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that France will participate in the talks and said Europe would be well represented. However, he did not name the specific French official who would attend.
In a CBS 60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday, President Trump suggested the war would end soon. He implied that a final settlement might result in changed borders for Ukraine. When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was stalling, Trump replied, “Oh, I don’t think so.”
Combat continued in southern Ukraine on Sunday. Authorities reported that a Russian drone struck a former school and a nearby shelter in Komyshuvakha. The attack occurred while emergency crews were already on site. The village had suffered a previous Russian bombing strike last Monday that killed at least 55 people. Approximately 50 people remain missing from that earlier attack. Sunday's drone strike damaged rescue equipment but caused no new injuries.
The International Atomic Energy Agency announced that external electricity was restored to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Sunday. The facility, located in Russian-controlled territory, relies on two external power connections to cool its nuclear fuel. It does not currently generate electricity. The plant experienced a power outage earlier on Sunday when the Ferosplavna power line was disconnected. The UN nuclear watchdog said the cause and location of the disconnection remain unknown. This was the 27th time the plant has lost external power since the conflict started.
Russia’s defence ministry stated that overnight attacks targeted three cargo vessels carrying military goods for Ukraine. The ministry claimed one container ship was hit at Odesa’s Black Sea port. It said a second container ship with dual-use cargo was struck at Chornomorsk. A third dry cargo ship, which was southwest of Odesa, was also hit. Russian officials said they also attacked two electricity substations that supply Ukraine’s defence industry.
In neighbouring Moldova, a new electricity line connecting the country to Romania and the European grid began operation on Sunday. The line aims to reduce reliance on Russian energy. President Maia Sandu posted on X that Moscow had used energy to pressure Moldova for decades. She added that the country of 2.6 million people now buys zero Russian gas.
