US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine and Russia ended Saturday without an agreement, though both sides signalled they are open to further negotiations next Sunday. The sessions focused on possible parameters to end the nearly four-year war and on robust US-proposed security protocols described as widely reviewed by NATO and European advisers. The talks coincided with a large overnight Russian assault — 375 drones and 21 missiles — that cut power for more than one million people nationwide and left about 800,000 in Kyiv without electricity in subzero temperatures.
US-Brokered Ukraine-Russia Talks in Abu Dhabi End Without Deal as Massive Russian Strikes Cut Power to Millions
The members of delegations participating in the UAE hosted trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, Director of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kirill Budanov, United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov and Jared Kushner attend a meeting at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 24, 2026. Uae Government/Handout via REUTERS
US-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi concluded on Saturday without a formal agreement, though both sides said they remain willing to continue negotiations next Sunday. The second day of face-to-face meetings — a rare development since Russia's full-scale invasion nearly four years ago — focused on possible parameters for ending the war and on proposed US security protocols.
Jared Kushner speaks as he sits beside United States Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, during trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 24, 2026. UAE Government/Handout via REUTERS
Negotiations and Next Steps
A US official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said the discussions reached detailed, "granular" levels and described the proposed security measures as "very, very strong," noting they had been reviewed by NATO and European security advisers. The official said further rounds were expected in Abu Dhabi next Sunday and that later meetings could potentially be held in Moscow or Kyiv as steps toward any summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
People take shelter inside a metro station during a Russian missile and drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 24, 2026. REUTERS/Yan Dobronosov
"The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending the war," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X after the meeting.
Bombardment During Talks
The talks unfolded amid a major overnight Russian assault that Ukraine's military said involved 375 drones and 21 missiles, striking energy infrastructure and knocking out power for more than a million people nationwide. Roughly 800,000 residents of Kyiv were left without electricity — and many without heating — in temperatures around -10°C. Authorities reported at least one civilian killed and over 30 injured.
Some windows glow in a residential building left without heating and facing long power cuts after critical civil infrastructure was hit by recent Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, who did not attend the negotiations, condemned the strikes as "cynical," saying they targeted not only civilians but "the negotiation table" itself.
A resident walks past a crater that appeared during Russian overnight drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 24, 2026. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
Core Disputes
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia still insists that Ukraine cede the Donbas region, including about 20% of Donetsk province (roughly 5,000 sq km) that Kyiv still controls — a demand that remains a major stumbling block. President Zelenskiy has ruled out surrendering territory not captured by Russian forces, and polling shows limited public appetite in Ukraine for territorial concessions.
A firefighter walks in front of semi-trucks destroyed during Russian overnight drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 24, 2026. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
UAE and US officials described the Abu Dhabi sessions as conducted in a constructive atmosphere, with negotiators addressing outstanding elements of Washington's peace framework and confidence-building measures. Russian officials, however, remained sceptical about the prospects for a rapid breakthrough.
Humanitarian and Security Concerns
Ukrainian leaders stressed that the scale of the strikes underscores the urgency of fully implementing air-defence assistance and other security guarantees discussed with international partners. Diplomats said additional face-to-face meetings will likely be needed before any leaders' summit can occur.
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