US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukrainian and Russian delegations concluded on February 5, 2026, with both sides agreeing to a prisoner exchange and to reconvene negotiations in the coming weeks.
Prisoner exchange and next steps
– Ukraine’s lead negotiator Rustem Umerov said the parties agreed to exchange 314 prisoners. US special envoy Steve Witkoff described the outcome as the result of “detailed and productive” talks and said significant work remains to end the war. He also called the negotiations “constructive” and said they focused on creating conditions for durable peace. Delegations thanked the United Arab Emirates for hosting and US President Donald Trump for facilitating the process. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the next round would likely take place in the United States.
Security and military contacts
– The US Pentagon announced plans to reestablish high-level military-to-military dialogue with Russia, saying such contact is important for global stability. The announcement came as a treaty limiting US-Russia nuclear arsenals expired, prompting renewed calls from world leaders to preserve nuclear arms‑reduction frameworks. Russia’s envoy to the talks said progress was being made but blamed European and UK interference for complicating the process.
Ongoing fighting and strikes
– Despite the diplomatic engagement, fighting and strikes continued. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported a drone attack that injured two people and caused damage to residential and commercial buildings; debris shattered windows at a kindergarten and set an office roof on fire. Ukraine’s military reported that in a recent attack Russia launched 183 drones and two ballistic missiles, and that 156 drones were intercepted.
– Ukraine also said it struck infrastructure at Russia’s Kapustin Yar missile range in January, damaging buildings and prompting evacuations, using long-range systems including the domestically produced Flamingo missile.
Humanitarian impact and energy shortages
– Kyiv is facing severe heating and power shortages after airstrikes on energy infrastructure. Mayor Klitschko said more than 1,100 apartment blocks in the Darnytsia and Dniprovskyi districts will be without heating for the rest of the winter because repairs to the damaged plant will take at least two months. Residents have endured prolonged outages of electricity, heating and water amid plunging winter temperatures. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian energy infrastructure to inflict severe winter suffering on the population.
Communications and technology
– Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said Starlink terminals used by Russian forces inside Ukraine have been deactivated and that Kyiv is maintaining a verified list of authorized terminals. Analysts have previously said satellite internet has been crucial to some Russian long-range operations.
Casualties and broader context
– Emphasizing the human cost, President Zelenskyy disclosed that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed, a rare official disclosure of battlefield losses. Negotiators and observers say sustained diplomatic engagement will be needed to translate the Abu Dhabi talks into a lasting settlement while hostilities and strikes continue on the ground.