Russia and Ukraine report some progress in peace talks

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reported some progress in two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi that ended today, but US mediators said there was a lack of trust between the warring sides and differences remained on major issues, including territory.

In their first peace talks for nine months, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a major release of prisoners of war, but there was little else in the way of concrete announcements after the US-brokered meetings.

"I think that we have a good momentum to bring the solution before the new year comes," Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said, without elaborating.

He added that he hoped another session could be held "as soon as possible".

Russia's chief negotiator said a peace deal is now closer after the latest talks

Vladimir Medinsky said: "I think so yes," when asked by a Russian state TV reporter if a peace deal was now closer.

"But at the moment, a great deal depends on all those involved in the process. A great deal depends on Ukraine, on the US stance, and on whether Europe comes to its senses," he added.

Speaking in Dublin, after meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said there could be a "window of opportunity" to reach a breakthrough in talks to end the war with Russia this year.

"Today, there really is this opportunity, this window of opportunity, when all those participants who are now engaged in the negotiation process, genuinely want to achieve a result before 2027," he said.

He said much depended on "the will of American side to pressure on Russia or not, it depends on format of their dialogue with Russians."

Earlier, Mr Medinsky said a new potential future European security framework had been a central theme in the two-day talks.

"Together with the American side, we exchanged our views on this - on some points we reached a common ‌understanding, whilst on others ⁠we did not," he said, adding "this discussion will, of course, continue".

"The world needs a new, modern, updated security system - one that is fair and does not disadvantage any particular countries," Mr Medinsky said.

He was cool on the prospect of European countries joining ‌future talks.

He said it was "unclear" what there was for Russia and the European Union to discuss, ⁠given that Russia has "not received a single peace initiative or ⁠a single concrete ‌peace proposal from European countries".

"When they come up with some concrete proposals, then we'll give those proposals some thought," he said.

"As things stand, I think it would be useful for them to learn, for ⁠example, from the American envoys - in terms of common sense, realism and a desire to achieve peace," he added.

US envoys Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff will meet Ukrainian President Zelensky in Dublin tomorrow following trilateral talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky said that he hoped the US officials will return from their meeting with Mr Putin with "specifics".

Europe has been rattled as Mr Trump floated a deal with Russia on rewriting European post-war security, also worrying that Washington will force Kyiv to accept a de-facto defeat.

With talks deadlocked on land, US mediators have tried to steer talks towards postwar security guarantees and reconstruction.

Mr Kushner said the United States hoped to "create a new framework" of security between Ukraine, Russia and Europe that will secure "decades, if not centuries, of peace".

Russia, which several weeks before invading Ukraine issued an ultimatum to Western countries to roll back troops from eastern Europe, had also said this was a priority.

Ukraine has warned against a "Yalta 2.0", referring to Western leaders dividing Europe with the Soviet Union after World War II, and the EU has said security arrangements can only be discussed after a ceasefire.

Mr Kushner also said Russia and Ukraine agreed their biggest ever release of prisoners after the two days of talks.

"One of the positives is we agreed that we're going to have the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners, which we're going to finalise the numbers tomorrow," Mr Kushner said.

The two sides have exchanged thousands of captured soldiers throughout the almost five-year war, started by Russia's 2022 invasion.

Earlier, Ukraine said its negotiators would hold a separate meeting with Europeans and the US envoys in Abu Dhabi after the talks with the Russian team have finished.

Mr Zelensky said he welcomed the United States including Europe in the negotiations.

"It was not simple to involve Europe. That is point number one," Mr Zelensky told reporters after he was asked to specify which changes to the US approach at the talks that he had said he was "happy" to see.

Mr Zelensky, speaking in Copenhagen, said he did not think it was possible to think about European security "without Europe".

He also emphasised the need for security guarantees for his country.

Mr Kushner told delegates the United States had "narrowed the gaps" between the warring sides, without providing details, and hoped to move towards a "solution" to Europe's worst conflict since World War II.

Mr Zelensky said the talks were "constructive and quite substantive", adding his team had reported that humanitarian issues and security guarantees were among the topics discussed.

Asked about changes in the approach to peace talks by Mr Kushner and Mr Witkoff, Mr Zelensky said: "I see changes. I'm very happy with what I hear."

Fighting continued overnight and the governor of Russia's Leningrad region, Aleksandr Drozdenko, posted on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone attack had sparked a fire at Ust-Luga, a key Baltic port for oil exports.

Russian air defences also downed 146 drones during "continuing" combat operations, he added.

In Paris, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed this week's discussions as "very productive" and called for Europeans to be eventually included at the negotiating table "because they are part of solving this problem".

Mr Zelensky also said it was "time" for Europe to choose a representative for the talks.

Ukraine pushes for truces

Kyiv has strongly rejected Mr Putin's demands to surrender the whole of the eastern region of Donbas in return for peace.

With talks deadlocked on land, US mediators have tried to steer talks towards postwar security guarantees and reconstruction.

Ukraine's chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said Kyiv's priorities remained securing a ceasefire and security guarantees.

"Our people are waiting to end this war," he said.

Ukrainian and French foreign ministers in Paris commended US efforts to push for "partial truces", which could serve as a "first step toward a complete and unconditional ceasefire".

Last month, a local truce in Ukraine's Kherson region brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump became the longest pause in fighting during the war.

Ukraine is also pushing post-war support for its army.

A senior Ukrainian source told AFP Ukraine wanted at least 10 years of financial support to sustain an 800,000-strong army able to defend any future Russian attack.

Mr Trump hinted before the talks that Ukraine might have to give up land, saying: "They're going to end up with a little bit different shape."

Russia's troops have ground westwards but have not been able to seize the whole of the coveted Donetsk region, and Moscow demands Kyiv surrender the parts of the embattled area it controls.

Russia continues to pound Ukraine and its energy network, raising fears of another winter without heating, running water or electricity for millions of Ukrainians.