Abu Dhabi Russia-Ukraine-US talks end without deal
You’re watching two stories at once: the first face‑to‑face three‑way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States wrapped in Abu Dhabi without a concrete deal, and hours later Kyiv and Kharkiv counted the damage from a fresh overnight assault. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks were “constructive” and could resume on Sunday 1 February, with the UAE again hosting, according to the Associated Press and CBS News. (apnews.com)
Who is in the room? The United States sent special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner; Ukraine’s team included defence minister Rustem Umerov and military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov; Russia’s delegation was led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov. Axios and Al Jazeera confirmed the two‑day format in Abu Dhabi. (axios.com)
What did they actually discuss? Zelensky said the focus was setting “possible parameters for ending the war”, with Washington prepared to monitor any agreement. Agenda items included ceasefire options and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and all sides agreed to report back to their capitals before a further session. These details were carried by AP and CBS. (apnews.com)
What happened back in Ukraine during the talks matters. In Kyiv, one person was killed and at least four were injured; in Kharkiv, officials reported 19 wounded after drones hit a dormitory for displaced people, a hospital and a maternity ward. Officials said energy infrastructure was targeted, leaving almost 6,000 buildings without heat in the morning before repairs cut that to about 3,300 by evening, with temperatures near −13C. Figures come from Reuters‑carried updates, UNN and the Guardian. (tribune.com.pk)
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called the overnight strike “cynical”, saying the missiles “hit not only our people, but also the negotiating table”. His comments underline the challenge of negotiating while the war continues. Reuters and Ukraine’s national news agency reported his remarks. (investing.com)
If you’re learning the language of these talks, security guarantees refers to a written promise of long‑term protection once the guns fall quiet: air defence, military aid and independent monitoring. Zelensky says a US‑Ukraine guarantees document is finished and ready for signature, but it would still need approval in Congress and in Ukraine’s parliament before it counts in law, as he told reporters in Davos. Anadolu Agency, Ukrinform and NDTV carried those comments. (aa.com.tr)
The hardest piece is territory. Moscow points to what some officials call an “Anchorage formula” after Mr Trump and Mr Putin met in Alaska last August. The Washington Post describes those terms as vague; reporting from the Kyiv Independent and the Los Angeles Times says ideas about Donbas and Crimea were discussed but not agreed, and Kyiv has rejected ceding land. (washingtonpost.com)
Why is territory such a red line for Ukraine? Article 73 of the constitution says any change to the country’s borders must be approved in a nationwide referendum, and legal experts stress protections around territorial integrity. The Associated Press has explained this, and the clause is published by WIPO Lex. (apnews.com)
To follow the map conversation, it helps to know the current baseline. Using Institute for the Study of War data, independent trackers estimate Russia controls roughly a fifth of Ukraine when you include Crimea and occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia Matters and Ukrainska Pravda summarise the latest figures as of mid‑January 2026. (russiamatters.org)
What happens next? Another round in Abu Dhabi is slated for Sunday 1 February. Expect more shuttle work on ceasefire terms, international monitoring, prisoner exchanges and energy repairs. For now, all sides say they will keep talking, but there is no deal on the table. That timeline is reflected in AP’s reporting and Emirati and regional coverage of day two. (apnews.com)
If you’re following this in a classroom, watch the verbs leaders use. “Discussed” or “proposed” do not mean “agreed”. When officials mention “monitoring and oversight”, think of independent teams checking compliance; when they say “territorial integrity”, read it as borders recognised in international law.
One extra thread you may see online: Mr Trump’s new Board of Peace, launched for Gaza and now pitched as wider. He said Vladimir Putin accepted an invitation to join; the Kremlin says it is still studying the proposal. The Guardian and Anadolu Agency reported those differing positions this week. (washingtonpost.com)