Ukrainian and Russian representatives had bilateral meetings with U.S. envoys in Geneva on Thursday, preparing the ground for a possible high-level peace summit in Abu Dhabi in March. The talks, led by Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, centered on a 'prosperity package' for post-war reconstruction and security arrangements. Although President Zelenskyy expressed hope that these negotiations would culminate in a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the five-year war, the Kremlin has been cautious, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declaring that “there are no deadlines” for a deal. These diplomatic initiatives took place amidst a setting of extreme violence, with Russia unleashing a massive attack of 39 missiles and 420 drones on Ukraine mere hours before the meeting, and both sides completing a substantial exchange of 1,035 fallen soldiers.