Abu Dhabi talks loom as Russia strikes Ukraine grid and refineries
U.S.-brokered negotiations begin Tuesday in Abu Dhabi after a weekend of heavy aerial strikes on critical infrastructure in both countries.
By Peter Graham ·
Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for new U.S.-brokered talks, arriving just hours after both nations exchanged long-range attacks on energy infrastructure. The meeting is scheduled to run for two days and will focus on security guarantees that could end the fighting.
Russian officials reported that their forces targeted four electrical substations in the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions on Monday. These strikes are part of a continued campaign to limit Ukrainian access to heating, light, and water as winter approaches. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 317 drones of various types overnight, including 105 jet-powered drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that the European Union has agreed to activate a special emergency mechanism. This measure is designed to speed up funding for repairs to Ukraine’s power grid. Zelenskyy also noted that Russian aerial attacks have caused severe damage throughout the war, including a glide bomb strike near the front line in the southern Zaporizhzhia region last week that killed at least 55 people at an aid distribution center.
In response, long-range Ukrainian drones started a fire at the KINEF oil refinery near St. Petersburg. Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed the strike on Monday, noting the facility is more than 1,200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine claimed in early October that its long-range strikes had neutralized more than half of Russia’s oil refining capacity, aiming to hamper Moscow’s ability to supply its forces.
U.S. President Donald Trump told “60 Minutes” on Sunday that Moscow and Kyiv are “very close” to a deal, despite the “tremendous hatred” between him and Zelenskyy. He stated that Ukraine would have “a little bit different shape” under the settlement but did not provide further details. Trump has previously made claims about war developments that have not yet materialized.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday that the meeting in Abu Dhabi would focus on trilateral negotiations with the United States mediating. He said, “You are aware that the Americans have their own channels of communication with the Europeans, as do the Ukrainians, and it appears they are already establishing their own methods of coordination.” Peskov added, “But, to reiterate, this is a matter of trilateral negotiations.”
Russian state finances are under heavy strain due to the war, while Ukraine’s economy faces pressure from relentless attacks. Trump faces potential pressure from Democrats who are set to take over Congress in January following the U.S. midterm elections. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Sunday that France and other European representatives would be present in the United Arab Emirates, despite Moscow’s insistence that European officials would not be involved in the discussions.
