Ukraine: Explosions rock Kyiv and Moscow as peace talks fail to resolve key issues
Prisoner exchange agreed
The two sides held two days of US-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi. They remained divided over major issues, including territorial questions, but agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange.
US envoys head to Moscow
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were expected to travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin. US mediators said differences remained on major issues, including territory.
The envoys were also expected to raise whether European partners should join the talks. Kushner has said they must be at the table. They were scheduled to travel afterward to Ireland for discussions with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who was due at a meeting of European leaders.
US and China discuss summit
The discussion included a possible trilateral summit with Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Putin. The call came ahead of Trump’s planned China visit for next week’s APEC summit and Xi’s planned trip to Florida for next month’s G20 summit.
Key points
- Russia and Ukraine launched attacks targeting each other’s capitals early Thursday.
- Explosions were heard in Kyiv, with no immediate reports of damage.
- Moscow’s mayor said air defences shot down five drones heading toward the capital.
- Abu Dhabi talks yielded a prisoner-exchange agreement but no breakthrough on major issues.