Russia and Ukraine Agree to Major Prisoner Exchange at UAE Talks

Officials at US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi confirmed on Wednesday that the two sides have agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war, described as the biggest humanitarian release since the conflict began nearly five years ago.

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, told reporters after the two-day meeting that the exchange would be finalized on Thursday. "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. The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, and the leader of Kyiv's delegation, Rustem Umerov, both confirmed the planned swap.

Expectations had been low for any major breakthrough at the first meeting between the delegations in nine months. Russia and Ukraine have periodically exchanged prisoners throughout the war, but this agreement would mark the largest such release to date.

US officials said they are determined to revive Washington's peace efforts, which have so far yielded little. Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff plan to travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, then fly to Dublin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The context of the negotiations has shifted since the last meeting in February in Geneva. The Trump administration must now contend with Democrats, who could push for greater support for Ukraine, taking control of the US Congress in January following the midterm elections. Meanwhile, Russia's wartime economy is under severe strain, and Ukraine is grappling with devastating aerial attacks on its power grid.

Umerov said Kyiv's delegation was expected to meet with European officials on Wednesday. Moscow opposes involving European countries in direct negotiations, but representatives of European governments, the European Union and NATO were in Abu Dhabi and consulting with the Ukrainian delegation, officials said. Zelenskyy described Tuesday's session as "constructive and quite substantive."