US, Russia and Ukraine to hold talks in Abu Dhabi as Zelenskyy cites battlefield gains

Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for US-brokered peace talks, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims recent battlefield gains have strengthened Kyiv's negotiating position. The meeting marks the third round of talks this year. Zelenskyy said Russia is "suffering record losses" and that Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian targets, including oil facilities, are having an effect, urging Washington to convince Moscow to end the war. US President Donald Trump said he sees a "very strong inclination" toward ending the conflict, while a US official noted both sides have shown some flexibility on territorial exchanges. The talks follow previous sessions in Geneva and Abu Dhabi, with Russia occupying roughly 20 percent of Ukraine. European officials will attend but Russia insists on a trilateral format, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned the process still has "a ways to go."