War in Ukraine: Zelensky: New talks with USA and Russia subsequent week | EUROtoday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has introduced new talks subsequent week about ending the Russian conflict of aggression in Abu Dhabi. “The dates for the next trilateral meetings have been set – February 4th and 5th in Abu Dhabi,” he stated on Telegram. He obtained a corresponding report from his negotiating crew. There had been already trilateral talks – between Ukrainian and Russian representatives in addition to US negotiators – in Abu Dhabi final weekend. There was initially no affirmation from the Russian aspect.

“Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion, and we are interested in an outcome that brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war,” Zelensky stated. Last week alone, Russia attacked Ukraine with, amongst different issues, 980 drones and nearly 1,100 glide bombs. The nation urgently wants air protection missiles.

Zelensky spoke to Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umjerov on Sunday. “I have scheduled a meeting for tomorrow to coordinate the framework of the discussions and prepare everything,” he stated in his night video tackle. “The team will be on the way to negotiations on Monday evening.” He hopes for assist from the USA. “A lot depends on what the American side can achieve so that people trust both the process and the results.”

The Ukrainians and Russians had initially introduced this Sunday that they’d resume their direct negotiations on ending the conflict in Abu Dhabi, which started per week in the past after a very long time.

Kremlin negotiator Dmitriyev on Saturday in Miami with Witkoff

Per week in the past, the talks had been held behind closed doorways and mediated by the USA with its chief negotiator Steve Witkoff. Meanwhile, Witkoff met with Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriyev in Miami on Saturday. The Russian advised X that there had been a constructive assembly with the US delegation. He additionally had productive discussions with a working group on US-Russian financial relations.

For his half, Witkoff wrote that there had been productive and constructive discussions with Dmitriyev as a part of the US try and mediate an answer to the Ukraine conflict. The assembly strengthened the view that Russia is working to make sure peace in Ukraine. According to Witkoff, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and authorities advisor Josh Gruenbaum had been additionally there from the US aspect.

Despite the quite a few conferences which have repeatedly been described as “constructive” and “productive”, an settlement on a peace settlement will not be but in sight. Demands for territorial cessions are central to Moscow. Russia calls for that Ukraine additionally withdraw from these elements of Donbass – which incorporates the Luhansk and Donetsk areas – that stay managed by Kiev. President Zelensky has repeatedly rejected such cessions of territory.

More deaths in Russian drone assaults

Against the background of the negotiations, on the request of US President Donald Trump, Russia agreed to briefly chorus from new assaults on the nation’s power infrastructure because of the excessive chilly and the already in depth harm in Kiev and different cities. According to Russian data, the settlement ought to initially solely be legitimate till Sunday as a way to create foundation for the negotiations in Abu Dhabi. However, assaults on different targets continued.

Zelensky complained that the assaults had shifted to the railway and different transport infrastructure. “It is obvious that the Russians want to cut our cities off from each other,” he stated in his video message. The Russian Defense Ministry stated in Moscow that there had been assaults on the transport infrastructure utilized by the Ukrainian armed forces and on ammunition depots.

A person and a girl died in a Russian drone assault within the metropolis of Dnipro, navy governor Olexander Hanscha stated. A fireplace broke out. At least 15 folks died in Pavlohrad when Russian drones hit a bus carrying miners. Another 15 folks had been injured within the assault.

Kyiv restores heating provide after blackout

However, there have been no new reviews of Russian assaults on Ukrainian power amenities. However, there was a blackout on Saturday because of a cable failure. Work to revive provide continued on Sunday. According to authorities, emergency shutdowns continued throughout the nation.

Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that increasingly homes had been being reconnected to the heating provide. Accordingly, round 1,000 homes within the capital had been nonetheless with out warmth provide within the morning – after 3,500 homes the night earlier than. It was stated that each one metro traces had been again in operation after the outage on Saturday.

The cause for the huge issues in lots of elements of the nation was a failure of two traces between Romania and Moldova and within the territory of Ukraine, as Zelensky defined. It was a day of emergency for the federal government, the Ministry of Energy, power firms and regional and native authorities. “The causes are currently being investigated,” stated Zelensky.

Icing on the pipes might have been the rationale for the collapse. “There is currently no evidence of external interference or a cyberattack,” Zelensky stated. The nation additionally elevated its electrical energy imports. Ukraine’s power system is severely broken, particularly after the numerous Russian assaults.

Ukraine has been defending itself in opposition to the Russian conflict of aggression with Western assist for nearly 4 years.