The second round of high-level peace talks involving officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States commenced today, Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in the United Arab Emirates, just hours after Russia launched another massive overnight assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The talks, hosted by the UAE in Abu Dhabi, are aimed at exploring pathways toward a sustainable ceasefire and broader political settlement following the full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.
The UAE has positioned itself as a neutral mediator in the conflict, having hosted previous rounds of indirect talks and prisoner exchanges.
Context of Today’s Talks The discussions follow a first round held in late December 2025 that produced limited progress on humanitarian issues (prisoner swaps, grain corridor extension) but failed to bridge core demands on territorial integrity, security guarantees, and sanctions relief.
Russian Attack on Ukraine’s Power Grid Early Tuesday (February 3, 2026), Russia carried out one of its largest combined drone and missile strikes of the war, targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure across at least 12 regions. Ukrainian officials reported Over 80 missiles and 60+ Shahed drones launched Ukraine Power Grid, Significant damage to power substations, transmission lines, and generating facilities. Widespread blackouts affecting millions, with emergency outages in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv, and Dnipro and At least 3 civilians killed and dozens injured in the strikes.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as “genocidal” and said it was deliberately timed to undermine the peace talks.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the strikes were “retaliatory” and targeted “military energy facilities used to support the Ukrainian armed forces.”
The talks are expected to last at least two days, with a possible joint statement or limited agreements on humanitarian corridors, prisoner exchanges, or energy infrastructure protection.
This is a developing story with high diplomatic stakes.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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