Russia-Ukraine talks ‘very productive,’ says US’s Rubio – Europe live

US-led talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US are due to begin in Abu Dhabi, marking the first substantive negotiations aimed at ending the war since February. The two-day discussions matter because they could shape Ukraine’s postwar security arrangements, while Kyiv and Moscow remain far apart on territory.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading the American delegation, with Ukraine’s team headed by intelligence chief Rustem Umerov. Kyiv says battlefield gains strengthen its negotiating position and is seeking reliable security guarantees and economic recovery; Russia wants all of the Donbas, while Ukraine wants Russian forces pushed back to the countries’ original border. European officials are excluded from the talks but are being briefed separately.