U.S.–Russia Hold Abu Dhabi Peace Talks As Overnight Missile Barrage Devastates Kyiv

The United States and Russia held an unpublicised round of peace discussions in Abu Dhabi, led by U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, as Washington renews efforts under President Donald Trump’s administration to push toward an end to the Ukraine war. More meetings were expected, although details about the Russian delegation and the specific agenda remained unclear. Driscoll, who has become a key figure in U.S. diplomatic outreach, was also scheduled to meet Ukrainian officials during his stop in the UAE.

The talks are unfolding at a tense moment, with Kyiv struck overnight by a heavy missile and drone barrage that killed at least six people. Hundreds of drones were launched, forcing residents to take shelter in underground locations, many wrapped in winter clothing or resting in makeshift tents.

The diplomatic landscape has shifted repeatedly in recent months. A hastily organised summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August raised fears in Kyiv and across Europe that Washington might concede to Russia’s demands. Although the meeting ultimately ended with the U.S. increasing pressure on Moscow, confusion resurfaced after a new 28-point U.S. peace plan was circulated last week. The unexpected proposal alarmed officials in Kyiv, Washington, and European capitals due to concerns it could push Ukraine toward accepting conditions favourable to the Kremlin.

According to the proposal, Ukraine would have to relinquish more territory, accept restrictions on its armed forces, and permanently abandon ambitions of joining NATO—terms Kyiv has long viewed as unacceptable and equivalent to surrender. The intensified diplomatic push comes at a moment of vulnerability for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is grappling with a corruption controversy that led to the dismissal of two ministers, as well as new Russian gains on the battlefield.

Zelenskyy said after weekend discussions in Geneva that several “correct” points had been included in a revised version of the peace framework, though sensitive issues still require direct talks with Trump. He acknowledged that while the draft has been narrowed down from 28 points, negotiating a final agreement would be complex. The Kremlin, meanwhile, said it had no immediate comment on the Abu Dhabi meeting but described the U.S. proposal as a potentially strong basis for negotiations.

In a separate development, Romania scrambled fighter jets after drones from the overnight attack crossed into its airspace near the Ukrainian border, with at least one drone continuing deeper into Romanian territory. Anxiety has increased across NATO’s eastern frontier in recent months after multiple suspected Russian drones breached the airspace of alliance members.