US-Mediated Russia-Ukraine Talks Open in Abu Dhabi on Security Guarantees

Three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States opened Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, marking the first such meeting since February and focusing on future security guarantees for the warring countries. The first day of discussions concluded after nearly four hours and are expected to resume Wednesday. The White House said the two-day session aims to establish security guarantees, with Russia viewing NATO as a threat and Ukraine seeking to prevent future invasions. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner expressed hope for bridging differences, though German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he has "overly high expectations" for progress, and no significant breakthroughs occurred in three previous rounds of talks this year. The war, which began with Russia's invasion nearly five years ago, has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians, with fighting continuing amid new long-range strikes by both sides. Russia launched 162 drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, while Russia's defense ministry said it shot down 155 Ukrainian drones.