Ukraine has accused Russia of deliberately sabotaging U.S.-mediated peace negotiations through a series of deadly military strikes occurring simultaneously with diplomatic talks in Abu Dhabi. The attacks resulted in one fatality and 27 injuries across Kyiv and Kharkiv, while thousands endured sub-zero temperatures without heating due to damaged energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga condemned the coordinated assault, stating President Vladimir Putin’s missiles ‘hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table’ as delegations convened to advance the American-led peace process. The talks marked the first direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian officials since last summer’s Istanbul meetings, with discussions focusing on parameters for ending the conflict.
The core dispute remains the status of Donbas territory, with Moscow demanding complete Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern region—a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. The Kremlin reaffirmed this position hours after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Putin in Moscow, emphasizing territorial control as ‘a very important condition’ for any settlement.
Energy infrastructure suffered severe damage, with Ukraine’s largest provider DTEK reporting 88,000 families temporarily without power in Kyiv alone. The northern Chernigiv region experienced even more extensive blackouts affecting ‘hundreds of thousands’ after strikes critical energy facilities. President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously declared a state of emergency in the energy sector following systematic Russian targeting of heating and electricity supplies.
While diplomatic efforts have intensified, including Zelensky’s meeting with Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum where they discussed post-war security guarantees, the fundamental territorial impasse appears unresolved. Trump previously pressured Ukraine to accept terms viewed as capitulation, remarking both parties would be ‘stupid’ if they failed to reach an agreement.