Officials at U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine confirmed Wednesday that the two sides have agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war. The announcement came at the end of two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, marking the first high-level meeting between the delegations in nine months.
Abu Dhabi peace talks yield humanitarian agreement
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, stated that the sides agreed to the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners to date. He noted that the final numbers for the exchange would be finalized the following day. Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation, and Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, both confirmed the planned swap.
Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, spoke during a coordination meeting before the trilateral talks began on Tuesday. Hopes for a major breakthrough were initially low, given the history of stalled diplomacy. However, both countries have occasionally swapped prisoners during the nearly five-year conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the Tuesday session as constructive and substantive. He said the discussions covered humanitarian issues, including the return of Ukrainian civilians in captivity and children taken from the country. Security guarantees were also discussed, though neither side has shown a willingness to compromise on their core demands.
U.S. envoys to meet Putin and Zelenskyy next
Kushner said he and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with President Vladimir Putin. They are scheduled to fly to Dublin afterward to meet with Zelenskyy. U.S. officials say they are determined to revive Washington’s peace efforts, which have so far failed to deliver significant results.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting very productive but cautioned that a breakthrough on stopping the war will take time. The context of the negotiations has shifted since the last meeting in Geneva in February. The Trump administration must now reckon with Democrats, who could take control of the U.S. Congress in January following the midterm elections.
Additionally, Russia’s wartime economy is under heavy strain, and Ukraine continues to suffer from devastating aerial attacks on its power grid. These pressures may have influenced the willingness to agree on a prisoner swap.
European involvement and ongoing fighting
Umerov said Kyiv’s delegation is expected to meet with European officials on Wednesday. Moscow has historically opposed European countries, which are concerned about Russia’s conduct, being involved in direct negotiations. However, representatives from European governments, the European Union, and NATO were present in Abu Dhabi and consulted with the Ukrainian delegation.
The talks occurred against a backdrop of continued fighting on the front line. Little territory has changed hands this year, but both countries continue to batter each other with long-range missiles and drones. Overnight, Russia struck the southern Zaporizhzhia region and the eastern city of Kharkiv, wounding seven civilians and damaging property.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that air defenses downed 627 Ukrainian drones overnight. Governor Alexander Drozdenko said 150 of those drones were intercepted over the region around St. Petersburg. The drone attacks started a fire at the port of Ust-Luga, one of the main facilities for Russian oil exports, injuring three workers.
Source: NPR
