Russia and Ukraine reported fresh attacks on their capitals.
US envoys travelled to Moscow for talks with Putin.
Abu Dhabi negotiations secured a prisoner exchange, but territorial disputes remain.
Russia and Ukraine launched fresh attacks on each other's capitals early Thursday, hours before US envoys were due to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, a day after peace talks ended without a breakthrough.
Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev received US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at a Moscow airport on Thursday ahead of their scheduled meeting with the Russian president.
Dmitriev shared a photograph on X showing him shaking hands with Witkoff, with Kushner standing beside them, and wrote: "Welcoming Steve and Jared to Moscow."
Fresh Russian strikes hit Ukraine early Thursday, with explosions reported in Kyiv and damage to energy and civilian infrastructure in the Rivne region, according to local officials.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted military and energy facilities across Ukraine, as well as a munitions warehouse in the capital, Reuters reported.
Attacks After Abu Dhabi Peace Talks
The attacks came a day after Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi. The sides agreed on a prisoner exchange but made little progress on major points of disagreement, particularly territorial issues.
Separately, Jared Kushner has stressed that European countries must be included in efforts to negotiate an end to the war.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram on Thursday that Russian air defences had intercepted five drones heading towards the capital. Drone attacks were also reported in other parts of Russia, including the Rostov and Tula regions, where local officials said several drones had been shot down.
After their visit to Moscow, US negotiators are expected to travel to Ireland for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He is scheduled to attend a meeting of European leaders there.
The war began in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, following months of military build-up and tensions over Kyiv's ties with the West.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of threatening its security, pursuing NATO membership and targeting Russian territory and civilians. Kyiv has rejected these claims, saying Russia's invasion was an attempt to seize Ukrainian land and undermine its sovereignty.
