ABU DHABI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first US-brokered talks since February, after President Donald Trump suggested last week that a broad deal was possible on ending the war in Ukraine and guaranteeing security in Europe.
US envoy Jared Kushner told delegates that recent contacts with both sides had "really identified, narrowed the gaps", and the US side had "some good ideas" on how to bridge their differences. Trump, he said, was committed to achieving peace.
"He really has asked us to put extra effort into trying to find a solution that hopefully ends the war but also leaves both sides in a much stronger position" to realise their full potential, Kushner said.
But more than 4-1/2 years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and with Russian forces holding about a fifth of the country, Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart – despite Trump's optimism – on terms for a possible settlement.
Ukraine's chief delegate, Rustem Umerov, said in his opening remarks that Kyiv was focused on achieving security guarantees and a lasting peace.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underlined Moscow's preference for negotiating a broad European security framework before tackling the specifics of the war.
