Ukraine and Russia agree prisoner exchange after two days of Abu Dhabi talks
The delegations reached an agreement in principle, but the number of people and details of implementation remain unresolved. Their positions on territory and security are still far apart.
Ukraine and Russia agreed to prepare a large exchange of prisoners of war as two days of US-mediated talks concluded in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The delegations confirmed the understanding, although they still need to settle the number of people and the practical details.
Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said the exchange was the main outcome of the meeting. His Russian counterpart, Vladimir Medinsky, described an agreement in principle, the Associated Press reported. US envoy Jared Kushner said the numbers would be settled on Thursday.
The announcement does not mean prisoners will be released immediately or that a comprehensive agreement to end the war has been reached. The exchange remains subject to coordination between the sides, and no firm date has been jointly announced.
Details remain to be settled
Ukrainian news agency Interfax reported that the size of the exchange was still under negotiation. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously mentioned possible formulas of 1,000 for 1,000 or 1,500 for 1,500, but neither figure was confirmed as the meeting’s final outcome.
A representative of Russia’s general staff told state media the exchange could take place in the next two or three weeks, AP reported. That is a Russian estimate; the delegations have not jointly announced a fixed date.
Russia and Ukraine have carried out prisoner exchanges during the full-scale invasion Moscow launched in February 2022. The return of captives has been one area where the sides have reached agreements while fighting and deep political differences persist.
European security and next contacts
Wednesday’s meeting lasted nearly two hours, after a roughly four-hour session on Tuesday, AP reported. It was the first meeting in this format since February. In addition to Kushner, US envoy Steve Witkoff took part.
Kushner said he and Witkoff would travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, then fly to Dublin to see Zelenskyy. Outstanding issues include security guarantees and the future of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia.
European participation remains another point of disagreement. Umerov said his delegation would meet representatives of European countries, the European Union and NATO who were in Abu Dhabi but did not attend the trilateral meeting. Moscow opposes Europeans joining direct negotiations, while Zelenskyy argues that Europe must be present in decisions about the continent’s security.
Ukraine’s side said substantial differences remain. The announced exchange offers the possibility of relief for captives and their families, but the talks left the main obstacles to a peace agreement unresolved.
