"Kyiv's lead negotiator called the start of two days of US-led peace talks in Abu Dhabi productive on Wednesday. The work was substantive and productive, focused on concrete steps and practical solutions, Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, wrote on X. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in his nightly video address, said it was critical for the talks to lead to real peace and not offer Russia a new opportunity to continue the war."
"Zelenskyy also said Ukraine expected the talks to lead to a new prisoner exchange soon. The president, interviewed by French television channel France 2, said the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield as a result of the war with Russia was estimated at 55,000. He had previously cited a figure of more than 46,000 Ukrainian servicemen killed in an interview with US television network NBC in February 2025."
"The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday that the doors for a peaceful settlement are open, but Russian forces would continue fighting until Kyiv made decisions that could bring the war to an end, underlining Moscow's hardline stance even as negotiations resumed. Moscow has said it would not tolerate European troops on Ukrainian soil, a condition Kyiv sees as essential for credible security guarantees."
Kyiv's lead negotiator described the start of US-led peace talks in Abu Dhabi as productive and focused on concrete steps and solutions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need for talks to produce real peace, warned against giving Russia opportunities to continue the war, and urged partners to increase pressure on Moscow. Ukraine expects the talks to lead to a prisoner exchange soon. Zelenskyy estimated 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war. The Kremlin said doors for a peaceful settlement remain open but pledged to continue fighting until Kyiv makes decisions to end the war and rejected European troops on Ukrainian soil. Putin held a video call with Xi Jinping.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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