Abu Dhabi: A second round of US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine began in Abu Dhabi on February 4, with Moscow demanding Kyiv accept its conditions to end the four-year conflict, warning it will continue its invasion otherwise.
The two-day negotiations bring together Ukrainian, Russian, and US officials in a fresh attempt to halt Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, which has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions, and devastated much of eastern and southern Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russia’s “special military operation" would continue until Kyiv meets Moscow’s demands. The hardline rhetoric coincides with a recent Russian drone and missile barrage on Ukrainian cities, targeting energy infrastructure and leaving millions without heat and power in freezing winter temperatures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, saying they show Moscow “continues to bet on war and the destruction of Ukraine" and does not take diplomacy seriously.
The main sticking point remains territory in eastern Ukraine. Moscow demands that Kyiv withdraw troops from parts of the Donbas, including heavily fortified cities and resource-rich areas, and recognise lands seized in the invasion as Russian.
Kyiv has refused any unilateral pullback, insisting the front line should remain frozen. Russia currently occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine, while Kyiv still controls parts of Donetsk and other contested regions. Experts say it could take Russia another 18 months to fully conquer these areas.
