Russia and Ukraine agreed in principle to a large prisoner-of-war exchange following two days of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, but announced no breakthrough on the territorial disputes and security arrangements central to ending the war.
The agreement was confirmed by Ukrainian delegation leader Rustem Umerov and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Medinsky. Both sides said details still needed to be finalised, including the number of prisoners involved and practical arrangements for their return.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner described the planned exchange as a potentially significant humanitarian achievement. Negotiators intended to settle the numbers on Thursday, November 12. Although both delegations reported progress and indicated that discussions would continue, no wider peace agreement was announced.
Territory remains a major obstacle. Kyiv rejects Moscow’s demand that Ukraine relinquish the whole of the eastern Donbas region, including areas Ukrainian forces still control. Negotiators also discussed postwar security guarantees and reconstruction, without announcing agreement on those issues.
The role of European governments in a future settlement is another unresolved question. European representatives held separate consultations in Abu Dhabi but did not participate in the direct three-way negotiations. Washington has said it wants European partners included in future discussions.
Following the talks, Kushner and fellow U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow before travelling to Dublin for consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Those meetings were intended to explore whether the limited progress in Abu Dhabi could support further negotiations.
