Russia and Ukraine Agree to Major Prisoner Exchange at Abu Dhabi Talks/ NEWSLOOKS/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large prisoner-of-war exchange during US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, with numbers still to be finalized. Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff plan to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday before traveling to Dublin for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The humanitarian agreement comes without a broader peace breakthrough as fighting and long-range attacks continue.
Quick Look
- Exchange agreement: Russian and Ukrainian delegation leaders confirmed the planned prisoner swap.
- Numbers pending: Kushner said the totals would be finalized Thursday.
- Talks concluded: The two-day Abu Dhabi meeting was the first between the delegations in nine months.
- Next diplomatic stops: US envoys plan meetings with Putin in Moscow and Zelenskyy in Dublin.
- Humanitarian agenda: Discussions addressed prisoners, detained civilians and children taken from Ukraine.
- Security questions: Guarantees were discussed, but neither side signaled a compromise on its demands.
- Continued attacks: Strikes injured civilians in Ukraine, while Russian officials reported a drone attack that caused a fire at an oil-export port.
Deep Look
Abu Dhabi Talks Produce Planned Prisoner Exchange
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war during US-mediated negotiations, officials said Wednesday, delivering a humanitarian agreement without announcing a wider breakthrough toward ending the conflict.
Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, announced the planned release after two days of talks in Abu Dhabi.
“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,” Kushner said.
Russian delegation leader Vladimir Medinsky and Ukrainian delegation leader Rustem Umerov confirmed the agreement.
The exchange has not yet been completed, and officials did not announce how many prisoners would be released.
US Envoys Plan Meetings With Putin and Zelenskyy
Kushner said he and US envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
They then plan to fly to Dublin for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The visits would extend Washington’s effort to revive negotiations that have so far failed to produce significant progress toward ending the nearly five-year war.
Expectations for a major breakthrough in Abu Dhabi had been limited. The meeting was the first between the delegations since February’s talks in Geneva.
Russia and Ukraine have periodically exchanged prisoners throughout the conflict, even while their broader positions remained far apart.
Humanitarian Issues Dominate Discussions
Zelenskyy described Tuesday’s session as “constructive and quite substantive.”
He said discussions focused largely on humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges, the return of Ukrainian civilians held in captivity and children taken from the country.
Security guarantees were also discussed, although neither Russia nor Ukraine showed signs of compromising on its demands.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting “very productive” but cautioned that reaching a breakthrough on ending the war would take time.
European Officials Consult With Ukraine
Umerov said the Ukrainian delegation was expected to meet European officials Wednesday.
Representatives of European governments, the European Union and NATO were present in Abu Dhabi and consulted with Ukraine’s negotiators, officials said.
Moscow opposes European participation in the direct negotiations, despite European concerns about Russia’s military conduct and wider intentions on the continent.
The consultations give Ukraine an additional channel to coordinate with partners while the United States leads the three-way diplomatic effort.
Political and Economic Pressures Shape Negotiations
The circumstances surrounding the talks have changed since the February meeting.
Democrats will take control of Congress in January following their midterm election victories and could press the Trump administration to increase support for Ukraine.
Russia’s wartime economy is under heavy strain, while Ukraine faces the consequences of repeated aerial attacks on its electricity infrastructure.
Those pressures form the backdrop to negotiations, but they have not yet produced an announced shift in either government’s central demands.
Fighting Continues Despite Diplomatic Progress
The agreement came as combat continued along front lines where little territory has changed hands this year.
Both countries also maintained long-range missile and drone attacks.
Overnight Russian strikes hit the southern Zaporizhzhia region and the eastern city of Kharkiv, wounding seven civilians and damaging property.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 627 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Leningrad regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said 150 drones were downed over the region surrounding St. Petersburg. He reported that the attacks started a fire at Ust-Luga, a major Russian oil-export port, injuring three workers.
The planned prisoner exchange offers a concrete humanitarian outcome, while the continuing attacks underscore how far the sides remain from ending the war.
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