Russian overnight attacks on Ukrainian cities killed at least one person and wounded 31 others on Saturday, casting a shadow over a second day of peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States in the United Arab Emirates.
In Kyiv, one person was killed and four others injured after Russian drones struck the capital, according to the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko. Far heavier casualties were reported in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, where drone attacks wounded 27 people, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
The latest strikes came as negotiators from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington were preparing to reconvene in Abu Dhabi for continued discussions aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The talks mark the first known occasion that officials from the Trump administration have engaged directly with both sides as part of a renewed U.S. push for a negotiated settlement.
The UAE’s foreign ministry said the meetings are intended “to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis,” while the White House described Friday’s opening session as productive.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha sharply criticized Moscow over the timing of the attacks, accusing President Vladimir Putin of undermining the diplomatic process. “Cynically, Putin ordered a brutal massive missile strike against Ukraine right while delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the America-led peace process,” Sybiha wrote on X. “His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.”
The violence comes amid intensified diplomatic activity across multiple capitals, from Switzerland to Moscow, as global actors seek momentum toward a ceasefire. Speaking earlier this week in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a potential peace deal was “nearly ready,” though he acknowledged that major obstacles remain, particularly over territorial issues.
Just hours before the three-way talks began, the Kremlin said Putin held lengthy discussions with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on possible settlement terms. Russia has continued to insist that any agreement must include the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from eastern regions that Moscow claims to have annexed, despite not fully controlling them.
As talks continue, the latest attacks underscore the fragile and uncertain path toward peace, with fighting on the ground persisting even as diplomats search for a political breakthrough.
Source: AP News