Russia battered Ukraine’s power grid again and Ukrainian forces hit another of Russia’s biggest oil refineries hours before delegations from Moscow and Kyiv were due to meet for new US-brokered talks to end the ongoing crisis. Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators are set to hold two-day talks in Abu Dhabi from tomorrow, marking their first meeting since February.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today said that US President Donald Trump’s team has placed collective security covering not just Russia and Ukraine but also a wider area at the top of the agenda for the two days of discussions.

Security guarantees are expected to dominate the discussions, amid continuing hostilities and intensified missile and drone attacks by both sides. Russia is demanding territorial concessions from Ukraine and an end to its NATO membership demand. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected these conditions, insisting on a ceasefire and firm security guarantees against future aggression. The United States is seeking practical arrangements to address the security concerns of all parties. Meanwhile, European participation remains contentious, with Moscow opposing their involvement at this stage.

During five years of the conflict, the two countries remain locked in battle with no sign that either side is ready to budge from their demands. US President Donald Trump said in an interview that aired last Sunday that Moscow and Kyiv are very close to a deal.