Ukraine and Russia describe first day of talks as productive

The first day of peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US in Abu Dhabi was described by the parties involved as substantive and productive, although no visible progress was made on key issues.

The meeting follows on from previous contacts with US officials and aims to explore possibilities for compromise after four years of war.

The talks focus mainly on the territorial arrangement and the fate of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which remains under Russian occupation. Moscow is making any agreement conditional on the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, while Kyiv considers such a move unacceptable and insists on maintaining the current lines.

The US administration is trying to push both sides towards practical solutions, but admits that the mere existence of negotiations does not necessarily mean progress.

Given the hardline stance and resistance of the Ukrainian public to concessions, the outcome of the negotiations remains open.

(reuters, pir)