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ABU DHABI: Washington called for a \u201cnew\u201d security framework on the first day of US-led talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was \u201chappy\u201d with the changes in approach by US mediators.<\/p>\n
US leader Donald Trump\u2019s envoys \u2014 his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff \u2014 brought together the warring sides for several hours of negotiations that are set to continue Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Kushner told delegates the United States had \u201cnarrowed the gaps\u201d between the sides \u2014 without providing details \u2014 and hoped to move toward a \u201csolution\u201d to Europe\u2019s worst conflict since World War II.<\/p>\n
In Paris, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the talks as \u201cvery productive\u201d and called for Europeans to be eventually included at the negotiating table \u201cbecause they are part of solving this problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s Zelensky later said the talks were \u201cconstructive and quite substantive,\u201d saying his team reported to him that humanitarian issues and security guarantees were among the topics discussed.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Copenhagen, the Ukrainian president also said it was \u201ctime\u201d for Europe to choose a representative for the talks.<\/p>\n
Zelensky said negotiators in Abu Dhabi were working on a \u201clarge-scale exchange of prisoners,\u201d adding that US officials would travel to Russia to discuss it further.<\/p>\n
\u2018I see changes\u2019 <\/strong><\/p>\n Asked about changes in the approach to peace talks by Kushner and Witkoff, Zelensky said: \u201cI see changes. I\u2019m very happy with what I hear.\u201d<\/p>\n Europe has been rattled as Trump has floated a deal with Russia on rewriting Europe\u2019s post-war security, also worrying that Washington will force Kyiv to accept a de facto defeat.<\/p>\n Kushner said the United States hoped to \u201ccreate a new framework\u201d of security between Ukraine, Russia and Europe that will secure \u201cdecades, if not centuries, of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n Moscow, which several weeks before invading Ukraine issued an ultimatum to Western countries to roll back troops from eastern Europe, had also said this was a priority.<\/p>\n Ukraine has warned against a \u201cYalta 2.0,\u201d referring to Western leaders dividing Europe with the Soviet Union after World War II, and the EU has said security arrangements can only be discussed after a ceasefire.<\/p>\n \u201cPutin wants the USSR back,\u201d Zelensky told Danish media.<\/p>\n Russia, which occupies swathes of its smaller neighbor, pummelled Ukraine with more attacks overnight, cutting power to thousands as temperatures plummet.<\/p>\n Putin has repeatedly turned down broader ceasefire offers and vowed his troops will press on in Ukraine.<\/p>\n Moscow pushes security review <\/strong><\/p>\n In a sign it is serious about reviving its demand to review Europe\u2019s decades-old security arrangement, Russia included a diplomat \u2014 Sergei Ryabkov \u2014 who logged Moscow\u2019s pre-invasion demand for NATO to pull back from eastern Europe.<\/p>\n A Russian delegation source had said that settling the war was \u201cmerely one item on the agenda,\u201d and that Moscow\u2019s main objective was reviewing security \u201cfor the entire continent.\u201d<\/p>\n Kyiv\u2019s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov met the US envoys and European, EU and NATO officials before the negotiations.<\/p>\n The top US and NATO general in Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, is also taking part.<\/p>\n In a joint statement, the Europeans, Ukraine, United States and NATO reaffirmed their \u201cshared commitment to a strong post-war European security architecture.\u201d<\/p>\n Ukraine pushes for truces <\/strong><\/p>\n Umerov said Kyiv\u2019s priorities remained securing a ceasefire and security guarantees. \u201cOur people are waiting to end this war,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n As talks continued, Ukrainian and French foreign ministers in Paris commended US efforts to push for \u201cpartial truces,\u201d which could serve as a \u201cfirst step toward a complete and unconditional ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n Last month, a local truce in Ukraine\u2019s Kherson region brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump became the longest pause in fighting during the war.<\/p>\n Kyiv is also pushing post-war support for its army.<\/p>\n A senior Ukrainian source told AFP Ukraine wanted at least 10 years of financial support to sustain an 800,000-strong army able to defend any future Russian attack.<\/p>\n Land issue <\/strong><\/p>\n There is huge distrust in Ukraine toward Trump\u2019s aims.<\/p>\n The US leader hinted before the talks that Kyiv might have to give up land, saying: \u201cThey\u2019re going to end up with a little bit different shape.\u201d<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s troops have ground westwards but have not been able to seize the whole of the coveted Donetsk region, and Moscow demands Kyiv surrender the parts of the embattled area it controls.<\/p>\n \u201cAllowing Russia to decide the borders of Europe will be a huge mistake,\u201d Denmark\u2019s Mette Frederiksen said, as she hosted Zelensky Tuesday.<\/p>\n Russia continues to pound Ukraine and its energy network, raising fears of another winter without heating, running water or electricity for millions of Ukrainians.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Russian strikes killed four people in Ukraine, according to local authorities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n