Russia and Ukraine concluded two days of peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, reaching an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to secure a broader breakthrough.
The talks, mediated by the United States, marked the first time the two warring nations have engaged in direct discussions at this level in nine months, according to nos.nl.
The negotiations were led by U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
The most concrete result of the Abu Dhabi summit is a deal to swap between 1,000 and 1,500 prisoners from each side. According to NRC – Nieuws, achtergronden en onderzoeksjournalistiek, citing Russian negotiator Alexander Zorin, the exchange is expected to take place within the next two to three weeks. This would represent one of the largest such operations since the conflict began.
The exchange follows months of limited contact between the two countries. While the prisoner deal offers a tangible outcome, political and security conditions remain volatile. Both nations continued their military operations during the talks, with reports of aerial attacks targeting energy infrastructure and a strike on a market in the Odesa region that killed three people, nrc.nl reported.
Europe's role in the peace process was a major point of contention during the summit. Ukrainian negotiator Davyd Arachamia stated after the talks that the negotiations must become "multilateral," arguing that European nations should be included at the table, according to nos.nl.
Russia, however, resisted this inclusion. Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, told Russian media that Moscow saw no reason to speak with European representatives, claiming they had not presented any viable peace initiatives. "We don’t understand what to talk about with Europe," Medinsky said, as noted by nrc.nl.
While Russia refused to engage with European envoys, the U.S. and Ukrainian teams held separate discussions with European representatives on the sidelines.
The U.S. mediation effort, which follows recent suggestions by President Donald Trump that a broad agreement could be possible, aims to bridge the gap between Moscow and Kyiv. Kushner told participants that recent contacts had helped "map and narrow" the differences between the two sides.
Despite this, the positions of the two countries remain far apart. Russia maintains its demand for control over the Donbas region, while Ukraine continues to reject the cession of territory. The diplomatic process is scheduled to continue, with Kushner and Witkoff expected to travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with President Vladimir Putin, followed by a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin, nrc.nl reported.
When will the prisoner exchange take place?
Russian negotiator Alexander Zorin said that the exchange of over 1,000 prisoners is expected to occur in the next two to three weeks, as reported by NRC – Nieuws, achtergronden en onderzoeksjournalistiek.
Why was Europe excluded from the direct negotiations?
Russia refused to include European nations in the talks, with lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stating that Moscow had not received any clear peace initiatives from them and therefore did not understand what there was to discuss, according to NRC – Nieuws, achtergronden en onderzoeksjournalistiek.
What are the primary obstacles to a lasting peace?
Territorial disputes remain the central challenge, with Russia maintaining strict demands regarding the Donbas region and Ukraine refusing to surrender land that has been the site of heavy fighting, as reported by NRC – Nieuws, achtergronden en onderzoeksjournalistiek.
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