Russia launched fresh attacks on Ukrainian targets on Thursday as diplomatic efforts gathered pace to bring Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table for another round of US-brokered peace talks. The strikes came amid concerns over the future of Washington's support for Ukraine, following closer ties between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
The proposed negotiations, expected to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, would mark the first trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States since February this year, when the previous round of US-mediated discussions took place.
The latest diplomatic push comes as the Trump administration seeks to secure an agreement to end the war before winter. However, Moscow's continued military operations and the significant differences between the two sides over the terms of a possible settlement have raised questions about the prospects of a breakthrough.
Russia targets logistics hub, power station and cargo vessel
According to Russia's defence ministry, its forces struck a Nova Poshta logistics hub in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, a power station in Dnipropetrovsk and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea, approximately 52 km south-west of the port of Odesa.
The Russian ministry announced the strikes on Telegram, claiming that all three facilities were being used for military purposes. It said the attacks targeted infrastructure supporting Ukraine's armed forces.
Separately, Oleksandr Hanzha, governor of Ukraine's Dnipro region, said on Thursday that a Russian drone strike had hit a private house and garages, injuring three people. He shared the information on Telegram.
Reuters said it could not independently verify the reports immediately. Both Russia and Ukraine have denied deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
The latest attacks followed a series of Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure, raising concerns about the country's preparedness for winter as diplomatic efforts continue.
In another major attack earlier this week, a Russian strike on an aid distribution centre in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region killed at least 40 people, with dozens more reported missing. The facility was also being used as an underground shelter for civilians.
Zelensky confirms preparations for trilateral meeting
The fresh Russian attacks came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had held a detailed discussion with US peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
In a post on X, Zelensky described the discussion as a "very detailed, hour-and-a-half-long conversation" and said preparations were under way for a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia.
"We are preparing for a trilateral format at the team level between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia – to take place in less than a week," he said.
The meeting is expected to be held in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. Discussions are likely to focus on ending the war, post-war security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian measures.
The United States is expected to be represented by Witkoff and Kushner, who have been leading Washington's diplomatic engagement with Moscow and Kyiv.
The proposed talks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's agreement to participate in another round of trilateral negotiations after meeting Witkoff in St Petersburg last month.
The previous US-mediated peace talks took place in February, before the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran. The diplomatic process subsequently lost momentum as Washington became increasingly focused on the Middle East conflict.
However, Russia and Ukraine remain divided over the terms of a possible settlement, particularly on territorial questions and security guarantees. Trump has also increased pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement.
Melania Trump to bring Russian, Ukrainian representatives together
Separately, the office of US First Lady Melania Trump announced that she would bring representatives from Russia and Ukraine together at the White House as part of her humanitarian and diplomatic efforts. No specific date for the meeting was announced.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia's presidential adviser for international economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, and human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova would meet the First Lady on Thursday, provided all logistical arrangements were completed.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, also announced that he would meet Melania Trump in Washington.
The proposed engagement follows the First Lady's involvement in securing a localised ceasefire between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the Oleshky region last month. The temporary truce in the southern Kherson region was aimed at allowing residents to leave the conflict-affected area after facing weeks of shortages of food and medicines.
The agreement enabled roads to be demined and civilians to evacuate to either Russian-controlled or Ukrainian-controlled territory. Residents were also given the option of remaining in the area with replenished supplies.
The humanitarian initiative was described by Melania Trump's office as an unprecedented diplomatic effort by an American First Lady.
"Mrs. Trump independently initiated engagement" to secure "a ceasefire in Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region," an official statement from her office said.
The statement added that the initiative represented an unprecedented diplomatic achievement by a US First Lady.
Following the ceasefire, Zelensky awarded Melania Trump Ukraine's Order of Princess Olga, First Class, in recognition of her contribution to humanitarian assistance and human rights.
A decree published on the Ukrainian presidential website acknowledged her "significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine, and for active human rights and charitable work".
Melania Trump has also been involved in diplomatic efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war.
The temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, however, was limited in duration and ended after six days, with fighting subsequently expected to resume in the region.
US and European officials hold discussions in Brussels
Alongside the proposed Abu Dhabi negotiations, representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, NATO and the United States are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss Ukraine's future security arrangements.
The discussions are expected to cover security guarantees for Kyiv, Europe's post-war security framework and economic assistance for Ukraine's reconstruction.
The meetings are part of Washington's broader effort to build support for a possible peace agreement and address European concerns about the continent's security after the war.
US officials have said the Abu Dhabi discussions will focus on post-war security agreements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures and steps towards ending the conflict.
The renewed diplomatic engagement comes amid concerns in Kyiv over Trump's increasingly close ties with Putin and the possibility that Washington could reduce its support for Ukraine.
Despite the proposed negotiations, the two sides remain far apart on several key issues, and continued Russian attacks have cast uncertainty over whether the upcoming talks will produce a meaningful breakthrough.