Ukraine-Russia war latest: Explosions rock Kyiv and Moscow after peace talks end without breakthrough

Detailed summary

Ukraine and Russia exchange attacks on each other’s capitals as US ⁠envoys set to travel to Moscow to meet Putin

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Russia and Ukraine launched attacks targeting each other's capitals early on Thursday, just hours after peace talks in Abu Dhabi ended without a breakthrough on key issues.

Explosions were heard across Kyiv in the early hours, although there were no immediate reports of damage. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had shot down five drones heading towards the Russian capital.

It comes as the US ⁠envoys were set to travel to Moscow to meet president Vladimir Putin after US mediators said differences remained on major issues, ⁠including territorial questions.

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow on Thursday for talks with Putin, where they are expected to raise the question of adding European partners to the talks. Kushner has ‌said they must be at the ​table.

The US negotiators then plan ‌to fly to Ireland ⁠to meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr ⁠Zelensky, who is due to attend a meeting of European ‌leaders there.

However, negotiators agreed to a major prisoner exchange at two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi that ended on Wednesday.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi have agreed on the importance of talks between world leaders to advance peace and denuclearisation, including a potential trilateral summit involving Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

The two diplomats spoke by phone on Wednesday ahead of Trump's visit to China for next week's APEC summit and Xi's planned trip to Florida for the G20 summit next month.

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