Russia and Ukraine Resume Talks After a Huge Attack by Moscow

New York Times - WorldEN 3 min read 100% complete by Kim BarkerFebruary 4, 2026 at 11:44 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators are meeting in the United Arab Emirates for a second round of peace talks, following a large Russian attack on Ukraine's power grid. The talks, a push by President Trump to end the nearly four-year war, aim to address key sticking points: the status of Ukrainian territory Russia seeks and security guarantees for Ukraine. Russia demands Ukraine cede both seized territory and the remaining Ukrainian-controlled portion of the Donetsk region, which Ukraine rejects. Despite the ongoing conflict and disagreements, the talks represent the most public sign of progress. Prior to the talks, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida. The talks were postponed to allow Witkoff to attend a wedding.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kirill Dmitriev 40% Abu Dhabi ×340% Donetsk 40% Kharkiv 50% Donald Trump ×250% Steve Witkoff ×350% Vladimir V. Putin 60% United Arab Emirates ×370% United States ×270% Volodymyr Zelensky ×370% Russia ×890% Ukraine ×1390%

Keywords

peace talks 90% russia ukraine conflict 80% negotiations 70% security guarantees 60% territorial demands 60% united arab emirates 50% power grid attack 50% ceasefire 40%