ABU DHABI: Washington called for a “new” security framework on the first day of US-led talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “happy” with the changes in approach by US mediators.
US leader Donald Trump’s envoys — his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff — brought together the warring sides for several hours of negotiations that are set to continue Wednesday.
Kushner told delegates the United States had “narrowed the gaps” between the sides — without providing details — and hoped to move toward a “solution” to Europe’s worst conflict since World War II.
In Paris, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the talks as “very productive” and called for Europeans to be eventually included at the negotiating table “because they are part of solving this problem.”
Ukraine’s Zelensky later said the talks were “constructive and quite substantive,” saying his team reported to him that humanitarian issues and security guarantees were among the topics discussed.
Speaking in Copenhagen, the Ukrainian president also said it was “time” for Europe to choose a representative for the talks.
Zelensky said negotiators in Abu Dhabi were working on a “large-scale exchange of prisoners,” adding that US officials would travel to Russia to discuss it further.
