Negotiators agreed in principle to a major prisoner-of-war exchange during U.S.-mediated sessions in the United Arab Emirates. Wider peace terms remain stalled as American envoys prepare to consult leaders in Moscow and Dublin.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to a major prisoner-of-war exchange following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, though the sessions ended Wednesday without any wider agreement to end the nearly five-year war. The meetings in the United Arab Emirates marked the first direct talks between delegations from the two nations in nine months.
The discussions took place after American officials arranged the working-level gathering, following an earlier plan for the US to broker Ukraine-Russia peace talks in the region. U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff mediated the sessions, which lasted four hours on Tuesday and just under two hours on Wednesday.
Russian delegation leader Vladimir Medinsky and Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed the swap agreement, PBS NewsHour reported. Kushner said the negotiators had agreed to what could be the largest release yet, stating, “One of the positives is we agreed that we’re going to have the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners, which we’re going to finalize the numbers tomorrow.” Alexander Zorin, a deputy chief in the Russian General Staff’s information department, told Russian state television that the swap could occur within two to three weeks and would rank among the largest since each nation exchanged 1,000 soldiers last year.
Disagreements over territory and security
Despite the humanitarian progress, both sides remain divided on core conditions for ending the war, according to CBS News. Russia continued to demand recognition of its control over occupied Ukrainian territory, a position Kyiv rejected. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted Ukraine won’t surrender its occupied land in exchange for peace, warning that ceding the Donbas region wouldn’t stop future Russian aggression. Zelenskyy also pushed back against what he described as an American proposal to trade land for security guarantees that don’t include Ukrainian NATO membership.
The talks also addressed postwar security arrangements. Kushner noted that while Russian security worries were discussed, Moscow was told it must present de-escalation ideas that European nations find acceptable. He acknowledged that trust between the warring parties is nonexistent, though he said the prisoner release could help create momentum toward a broader peace. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the talks as substantive and useful, while Medinsky remarked that both nations had edged closer to peace.
Dispute over a European role
The role of European allies became another central issue during the Abu Dhabi summit. European Union, NATO and European government officials traveled to Abu Dhabi and consulted with Kyiv’s delegation, but they didn’t join the direct three-way talks. Moscow opposes European participation in negotiations, arguing that European countries are funding and arming Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European statements don’t demonstrate a desire to move toward peace, though he didn’t rule out European involvement in the future.
Zelenskyy stressed that European leaders must take part in any lasting settlement, declaring, “Ending this war without Europe’s participation would be unjust, and it would be impossible.” Sources gave differing accounts of where Zelenskyy made his remarks on the talks: PBS NewsHour reported that the Ukrainian president was speaking in Dublin, while CBS News reported that he was visiting Denmark.
Strikes continue as envoys prepare next steps
The diplomatic talks unfolded as combat continued along largely static front lines. A Russian daytime strike on a market in Ukraine’s Odesa region killed three people and wounded 11, local governor Oleh Kiper said. Overnight Russian attacks also injured seven civilians across the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 627 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 150 near St. Petersburg, where regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said falling drones caused a fire at the Ust-Luga oil export terminal and injured three workers.
The negotiations also occurred in an altered political climate, with Democrats set to take over the U.S. Congress in January following the midterm elections, Russia facing heavy economic strain, and Ukraine dealing with attacks on its electrical power grid. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Tuesday’s meeting very productive while noting that stopping the war would take time.
Kushner and Witkoff plan to travel to Moscow on Thursday morning to present proposals to Russian President Vladimir Putin. From Moscow, the American envoys are scheduled to fly to Dublin to meet with Zelenskyy to coordinate positions and explore further steps.
