US, Russia, Ukraine hold first peace talks in Abu Dhabi since February

Peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US began Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, marking the first such meeting since February, with the goal of ending Europe's largest conflict since World War II. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the first day "constructive and quite substantive," with discussions covering prisoner releases and security guarantees, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the talks as "very productive" and called for European partners to join the trilateral format. The talks occur as Russia's invasion has dragged on for 56 months, with overnight Russian strikes cutting power in six Ukrainian regions, and European leaders expressing concern that Washington may pressure Kyiv into territorial concessions favorable to Moscow.