US, Russia and Ukraine Start Talks in Abu Dhabi

Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators opened two days of talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. It is their first meeting since February.

• Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner lead the U.S. delegation.
• Putin aide Vladimir Medinsky heads Russia's team; Rustem Umerov leads Ukraine's.
• 162 Russian drones and a ballistic missile hit Ukraine overnight, Kyiv said.
• Ukraine first met U.S. envoys alongside European, NATO and EU officials.

Why it matters: The U.S. wants a new long-term security architecture between Russia and Europe, administration officials said. One said sanctions relief and a revived NATO-Russia council are possible.

• U.S. officials floated Ukraine guarantees resembling NATO's Article 5.
• Russia still demands Ukraine leave four regions and drop its NATO bid.

How 19 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage divides over whether the U.S. push for a broad European security deal is a path to lasting peace or a concession to Moscow's longstanding NATO demands.

What’s next: The session runs through Wednesday. Kushner said it should set up direct Russia-Europe talks soon.

• Russia opposes European involvement now but said the EU could join later.
• What concessions on NATO's presence in Eastern Europe, if any, will Washington offer?
• What would trigger the proposed U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine?