Second Round of Trilateral Talks Between U.S., Russia and Ukraine

ABU DHABI – U.S.-brokered talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are back underway, as fighting continues on the ground.

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators opened a second round of negotiations Thursday in Abu Dhabi, in what officials describe as a trilateral format involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.

The meetings come after Ukraine’s president accused Moscow of using a recent U.S.-backed energy truce to stockpile weapons and then launch a record number of ballistic missile attacks this week.

Ukraine’s lead negotiator confirmed the talks are taking place, saying teams will also break into separate working groups to discuss specific issues before returning for a joint session.

Photos released by the United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Ministry show U.S. officials seated at the center of the talks.