Ukraine and Russia Agree Major Prisoner Swap After Day of Peace Talks

World

Ukraine and Russia concluded a second day of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday to end Europe’s most destructive conflict since World War Two, agreeing to exchange 314 prisoners of war, officials said.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff highlighted that the delegations from the US, Ukraine, and Russia had agreed to this prisoner swap, described as the first such exchange in five months.

While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Witkoff said. He noted the peace talks were “detailed and productive.”

Russia and Ukraine have also expressed positive sentiment regarding the ongoing talks. A Ukrainian official hailed the first day of discussions as “meaningful and productive,” focusing on concrete steps and practical solutions.

On Thursday, Russia’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev said there was progress and a positive movement forward. He emphasized active work to restore Russia’s relations with the United States within the framework of an US-Russia working group on economy.

“War mongers from Europe, including Britain, are continually interfering in this process,” said Dmitryev. “The more such attempts, the clearer we see that progress is definitely being made.”

Russia has accused Ukraine’s European allies, including Britain, of prolonging the war with their support for Kyiv. Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), reported Russia had suffered nearly 1.2 million casualties during the conflict, though Moscow dismissed this as unreliable.

Despite Trump administration pressure on both sides to find a compromise, neither has agreed on a ceasefire. Russian troops launched major air strikes on Ukraine ahead of the talks, followed by smaller drone attacks. Ukrainian forces responded with successful strikes against Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile launch sites last month.

The fate of eastern Donetsk region remains one of the most complicated issues in negotiations. Russia wants Kyiv to pull its troops from all of the Donetsk region, including heavily fortified cities considered a strong defense line. Ukraine rejects this, insisting on control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-controlled territory.

Russia is ready for international cooperation over the Zaporizhzhia facility, including with the United States, but the site must remain Russian.

Moscow has occupied about 20% of Ukraine’s national territory, including Crimea and parts of eastern Donbas region seized before the 2022 invasion. Analysts estimate Russia’s territorial gains since early 2024 amount to 1.5%.