After nearly five years of war, representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States have gathered in Abu Dhabi for another round of negotiations aimed at ending one of Europe's deadliest conflicts since World War II.
President Donald Trump is expressing renewed optimism that a peace agreement could finally be within reach, declaring that the war will "end soon" as his administration works to bring both sides to the negotiating table.
Leading the American delegation are Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who are attempting to broker a deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
But the road to peace remains complicated.
Russia continues to demand control over four contested Ukrainian regions, restrictions on Ukraine's military, and guarantees that Kyiv will never join NATO. Ukraine refuses to surrender territory and insists that any agreement must include strong security guarantees to prevent another Russian invasion.
Despite previous negotiations producing prisoner exchanges and temporary ceasefires, neither side has agreed to the concessions necessary for a lasting settlement.
Meanwhile, the fighting continues. Ukraine reported another 162 Russian drones and a ballistic missile launched overnight, underscoring the urgency of reaching an agreement.
Trump, who campaigned on ending the conflict quickly, believes his personal involvement will ultimately deliver a breakthrough. But critics question whether the negotiations could pressure Ukraine into surrendering territory in exchange for peace.
After 1,721 days of war, hundreds of thousands of military casualties, and billions spent on the conflict, the world is watching to see whether diplomacy can finally succeed where years of fighting have failed.
The question now isn't simply whether Trump can bring Putin and Zelenskyy to an agreement. It's whether that agreement can deliver a lasting peace without setting the stage for another war.
