Ukraine's Battlefield Gains Bolster Kyiv's Position Ahead of Abu Dhabi Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Monday that Ukrainian battlefield successes and mounting Russian losses are strengthening Kyiv's position ahead of US-led three-sided talks with Russia, set to begin Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. The talks, the first since February aimed at ending the over four-and-a-half-year war, follow Zelenskiy's report of record Russian casualties and effective Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian targets, including oil sites. He urged the US to convince Russia to end the conflict. The front line has remained largely static, with Russia holding about 20% of Ukrainian territory and seeking full control of the Donbas region. Kyiv's delegation will focus on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues, led by foreign intelligence head Rustem Umerov.