Abu Dhabi talks resume as Zaporizhzhia plant regains external power
US officials report advances in security framework negotiations while Russian strikes hit cargo ships and a Ukrainian village.
By Renata Mehta ·
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are set to resume in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that discussions on post-war security arrangements have advanced. Rubio made these remarks on Sunday before departing for Paris to meet with G7 foreign ministers. He noted that security guarantees have been a central topic in US diplomatic efforts regarding the conflict. The progress reportedly concerns the potential structure of these arrangements once fighting concludes. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will represent the United States at the upcoming Gulf talks.
President Donald Trump expressed confidence in a near-term resolution to the war during a CBS 60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday. He suggested a settlement could result in changed borders for Ukraine. When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was delaying negotiations, Trump responded, “Oh, I don’t think so.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed on RTL radio that Europe would be well represented in Abu Dhabi. He stated that France would participate but did not name the specific representative attending.
Russian forces struck southern Ukraine on Sunday, targeting a former school and a nearby shelter in Komyshuvakha. The drone attack occurred while emergency workers were conducting rescue operations in the village. Authorities reported that the strike damaged rescue equipment but caused no injuries. The village was previously hit by Russian bombs last Monday, an attack that killed at least 55 people. Approximately 50 residents remain missing from that earlier incident.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that external electricity was restored to the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Sunday. The plant had relied on backup generators to cool its reactors for several hours following the disconnection of the Ferosplavna power line earlier that day. The UN nuclear watchdog stated that neither the cause nor the location of the disconnection was known. This marked the 27th loss of external power at the facility since the conflict began. The plant is not currently generating electricity but requires external power to keep nuclear fuel cool.
Russia’s defence ministry announced that overnight attacks struck three cargo vessels carrying military goods for Ukraine. The ministry reported that one container ship was hit at Odesa’s Black Sea port. A second container ship carrying dual-use cargo was struck at Chornomorsk in the same southwestern region. A third dry cargo ship southwest of Odesa, which was transporting weapons and military equipment, also took a hit. The ministry said it also targeted two electricity substations that supply Ukraine’s defence industry.
In Moldova, a new electricity line linking the country to Romania and the European grid was launched on Sunday. President Maia Sandu stated on X that the move lessens dependence on Russian energy. She wrote that Moscow had used energy to blackmail Moldova for decades and added, “Moldova buys zero Russian gas.” The former Soviet republic of 2.6 million people has faced energy difficulties since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
