US envoys head to Moscow as Ukraine faces massive blackout

Following the conclusion of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, American negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow on Thursday for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting aims to debrief the Kremlin on the Abu Dhabi sessions, where Ukraine and Russia agreed to a new prisoner exchange. The US representatives also plan to consult with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while pushing for European governments to name a joint representative for future peace talks.

Meanwhile, severe fighting and infrastructure damage persist in Ukraine. Massive Russian attacks have severed electricity to roughly 600,000 residents in eastern regions, while energy operators in Kyiv warned of impending rolling blackouts across the capital.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau