Abu Dhabi talks discuss prisoner exchange of 1,000 for 1,000 or 1,500 for 1,500
Trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi included discussions of a possible large-scale prisoner exchange in a 1,000-for-1,000 or 1,500-for-1,500 format. The Russian side also raised territorial issues, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said should be addressed at the leader level.
Key points
- Possible 1,000-for-1,000 or 1,500-for-1,500 prisoner exchanges were discussed in Abu Dhabi.
- The talks involved Ukraine, the United States and Russia.
- The Russian side raised territorial issues.
- Zelenskyy said territorial questions should be resolved at the leader level.
- Further talks are expected to address de-escalation, energy, the Black Sea, exchanges and possible trilateral leader-level meetings.
Why it matters
A potential exchange on the scale of 1,000 or 1,500 prisoners on each side could involve a significant number of people. The territorial issue also remained part of the talks, while the next round is expected to cover de-escalation, energy security, the Black Sea, further exchanges and possible trilateral meetings between the leaders.
What happened
During trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, participants discussed the possibility of a large prisoner exchange in either a 1,000-for-1,000 or 1,500-for-1,500 format. The Russian delegation raised territorial questions. According to Zelenskyy, these issues need to be addressed at the leader level, and he rejected the Russian claim that half of Donbas has been occupied. The negotiations are expected to continue, with de-escalation, energy, the Black Sea, exchanges and possible trilateral leader-level meetings among the topics for the following day.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasized the potential scale of the prisoner exchange, the territorial issue raised by Russia and Zelenskyy's position that territorial questions should be addressed by the leaders. It also highlighted that the talks would continue and listed de-escalation, energy, the Black Sea, exchanges and possible trilateral leader-level meetings among the next day's subjects.
How international sources describe it
International coverage focused on the possible 1,000-for-1,000 or 1,500-for-1,500 prisoner exchange discussed in Abu Dhabi and noted that the Russian side raised territorial issues.
Background
The discussions formed part of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia. The possible prisoner exchange was one agenda item alongside the territorial debate.