Russian and Ukrainian negotiators held a second day of U.S.-brokered peace talks Thursday in Abu Dhabi, as fighting continued and Russian strikes intensified against Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
The talks took place against the backdrop of sustained hostilities along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line in eastern and southern Ukraine. No details on progress were disclosed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a French television interview Wednesday that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago. He added that many people are still considered missing. In early 2025, he had put the military death toll at 46,000.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, an adviser to President Donald Trump, attended Thursday’s meeting, according to Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council chief Rustem Umerov. Both also participated in last month’s talks in Abu Dhabi. Zelenskyy has said control of the eastern Donbas region remains a key issue in negotiations.
NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich was also present, a spokesperson confirmed on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s call for long-term security guarantees from the United States and Europe to deter future attacks. In a statement posted Wednesday, he said Ukrainians must see genuine progress toward peace and not a situation where “the Russians exploit everything to their advantage and continue their strikes.”
Russian forces have increased attacks on Ukraine’s power grid in recent weeks, aiming to disrupt civilian life. On Thursday, Ukrainian officials reported Russian drone strikes injured at least three people in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 183 drones and two ballistic missiles overnight. In response, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its military downed 95 Ukrainian drones over several regions, including Crimea and the Azov Sea.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, nearly 15,000 civilians have been killed and over 40,000 injured since the war began. Human Rights Watch reported a 31% rise in Ukrainian civilian casualties in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Kyiv on an official visit Thursday.
