Donbas Pullout Becomes Pivot as U.S.-Ukraine-Russia Talks Open

In Abu Dhabi, Russia again insists Ukraine must withdraw from Donbas before any peace deal, while Zelenskyy stresses Donbas remains the key sticking point and seeks a Western security guarantee with a U.S. backstop; the first trilateral talks with the U.S. present produced no progress on territory, highlighting the enduring divide over the region.