Cold and doubt in Ukraine as 2nd round of talks with Russia kick off

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Kyiv — Ukraine's apical negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed Wednesday that a caller circular of trilateral bid talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. had begun successful Abu Dhabi. The parties archetypal met successful the Emirati superior astatine the extremity of January, kicking disconnected the archetypal three-way negotiations since Russia launched its full-scale penetration of Ukraine astir 4 years ago.

U.S. officials labeled the archetypal circular "the astir constructive of the war," and they bash look to person led to the caller "energy truce," with some sides halting attacks connected each other's vigor infrastructure for 4 days.

But immoderate momentum mightiness person been generated by the archetypal circular of talks successful January appeared to person dissipated by the commencement of the 2nd gathering.

Russia broke the little truce successful thundering manner betwixt Monday nighttime and Tuesday morning, launching 450 drones and much than 60 missiles astatine Ukraine, according to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who said the strikes had near 1,170 flat buildings successful Kyiv without heating.

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Representatives from DTEK, Ukraine's largest backstage vigor company, told CBS News the strikes were "one of the worst attacks" connected the country's energy infrastructure of the full war.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the strikes grounds that Russia's leaders, "do not instrumentality diplomacy seriously."

"These attacks did not travel arsenic a astonishment to anyone. This is what Russia does," Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine's Ministry of Strategic Industries, told CBS News. "On the 1 side, they proceed to accidental they are funny successful peace. On the different side, they destruct our infrastructure, weaponry our people, and radical are near without vigor during these freezing months."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said up of the negotiations successful Abu Dhabi that Russian forces were "striking targets they judge are associated with the Kyiv regime's subject complex, and the cognition continues."

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who visited Kyiv soon aft the attacks this week, said successful a social media post that helium had visited "a civilian heating plant" deed by Russian missiles connected Tuesday. "No subject worth whatsoever — attacks meant lone to marque radical suffer."

What to expect from the trilateral talks today

Two large sticking points person agelong hampered President Trump's efforts to get Russia and Ukraine to hold connected a bid deal: Russian demands for Ukraine to formally cede territory Russia has occupied successful the eastbound Donbas region, and Ukrainian demands for credible guarantees from Western powers for extortion if Russia tries to onslaught again aft a ceasefire is reached.

Zelenksyy made it wide precocious past year that the question of territorial concessions remained the biggest hurdle successful the talks. It is improbable to beryllium resolved during this circular of negotiations, according to Ukrainian overseas ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhyi, who told reporters arsenic the talks began that, "the astir delicate and analyzable issues, specified arsenic territorial issues," volition beryllium near for the countries' heads of authorities to discuss.

But advancement could beryllium made connected different issues, including however information guarantees for Ukraine would enactment erstwhile a hypothetical ceasefire does instrumentality effect.

Ukraine and Russia person again sent delegations led by cardinal subject figures. Ukraine's squad includes Kyrylo Budanov, the erstwhile caput of subject quality who present serves arsenic Zelenskyy's main of staff, portion the Russian delegation is led by Igor Kostyukov, the caput of the GRU subject quality service.

These are the aforesaid negotiators who met successful Abu Dhabi astatine the extremity of January, which Sak, the Ukrainian advisor, said could assistance support things moving, astatine slightest connected the method aspects of a bid deal.

"When subject guys conscionable subject guys, they tin marque progress, they talk the aforesaid language," helium said. "The factual measures and steps wrong information guarantees — the subject guys connected some sides are good placed to discuss."

"I personally stay somewhat skeptical of immoderate coagulated outcome, but astatine the aforesaid time, I americium surrounded by radical present successful Ukraine who judge that immoderate existent result mightiness beryllium imaginable soon," Sak said. "When the infinitesimal comes and the leaders meet, the nuances and details volition beryllium worked retired and hopefully we tin scope a compromise that is conscionable for Ukraine and conscionable for the world."

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