Russia and Ukraine have held their first face-to-face peace talks in more than nine months, meeting in Abu Dhabi with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff helping to facilitate discussions. Kyiv said it was committed to productive negotiations and ending the war, while Moscow spoke of making progress toward peace.

The talks came just hours after new Russian attacks on Ukraine, highlighting the challenges ahead. A major sticking point remains Russia's demand that Ukraine cede the entire Donbasregion, a condition President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to reject.