Ukraine, Russia enter second day of US-mediated talks

UKRAINE and Russia yesterday began a second day of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending a war sparked by Moscow's 2022 invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

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The negotiations are the latest bid in diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting ~ Europe's deadliest since World War II, with hundreds of thousands killed, millions forced to flee their homes and much of eastern and southern Ukraine left decimated.

“The second day of talks in Abu Dhabi has begun. We're working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work, and subsequent alignment of positions,” Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov said.

The first day of talks in the Emirati capital concluded with Kyiv describing the negotiations as “substantive and productive”, though there was no apparent breakthrough.

“There is definitely progress, things are moving forward in a good, positive direction,” Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev told state media.

Dmitriev slammed what he called attempts from European nations to “disrupt the progress”.