Ukraine, US and Russia agree on major prisoner exchange after Abu Dhabi talks
Ukraine, the United States and Russia agreed to conduct a large prisoner exchange following trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11. The final number of prisoners to be released was expected to be agreed by November 12, while American envoys were due to visit Moscow and then meet Ukrainian representatives in Dublin to discuss the next negotiation round.
Key points
- Ukraine, the US and Russia agreed in Abu Dhabi to a large prisoner exchange.
- The exact number of prisoners to be released was to be agreed by November 12.
- The exchange could be among the largest of the war and require three to five similar negotiation sessions.
- Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were expected to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
- After Moscow, the US envoys planned to meet Ukrainian representatives in Dublin.
- The sides discussed postwar security, reconstruction and a cessation as the first step toward peace.
- Territorial issues remained unresolved and were expected to be discussed by the leaders.
Why it matters
The agreement could produce one of the largest prisoner exchanges of the war and substantially affect the number and treatment of prisoners held by the parties. The talks also addressed peace prospects, postwar reconstruction and European security arrangements, although further negotiations and the precise implementation of the exchange remained pending.
What happened
The latest trilateral round between Ukraine, the United States and Russia took place in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11, with the UAE facilitating and the United States mediating. The talks marked the first direct Ukrainian-Russian negotiations since February. The parties agreed to a large prisoner exchange, while the final number of people to be released was expected to be settled by November 12. Arakhamia said the exchange could be among the largest of the war and require three to five similar sessions. Kushner and Witkoff were expected to travel to Moscow to meet Putin and finalize the exchange arrangements before continuing to Ukrainian representatives in Dublin. The Dublin meeting was intended to establish the date of the next negotiation round as soon as possible. The sides also discussed achieving peace, postwar reconstruction and a cessation as the first step toward peace, but substantial disagreements remained, particularly over territories.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage focused on the potential scale of the prisoner exchange, the prospect of reaching a solution before the New Year and the additional sessions required to finalize and implement it. Ukrainian representatives stressed that substantial differences remained, especially concerning territories, and argued that European participation should broaden the trilateral format.
How international sources describe it
International coverage emphasized the trilateral agreement, the difficulty of the Abu Dhabi talks, the planned Moscow and Dublin meetings and the possibility of setting a date for the next round. It also highlighted broader discussions about postwar security guarantees, reconstruction and a cessation as the first step toward peace.
Background
The Abu Dhabi round took place on November 10–11 and was described as among the most difficult, with the Russian delegation operating under strict directives. The parties reported progress on issues they had previously been unable to discuss. Representatives of several European countries, the European Commission and NATO were involved in the broader negotiation process alongside the UAE's facilitation and US mediation.