Ukraine and Russia agree prisoner swap at Abu Dhabi talks, but no breakthrough

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange after two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, but there was no breakthrough on the most contentious issue of territory.

US envoy Jared Kushner briefed reporters after the talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, with Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov beside him.

Photo: REUTERS/Rula Rouhana

The talks, held on 10 and 11 November, were the first attempt since February to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Delegations discussed security guarantees and the post-war future of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian sources.

Jared Kushner, one of the US negotiators, said "the largest prisoner exchange of the war" would take place soon.

He said territory was among the hardest issues, but he believed a way to resolve it would be found alongside the others.

In his view, post-war security arrangements could not be put in place until a deal on land is reached.

Today we achieved an important humanitarian breakthrough, with Ukraine and Russia agreeing in principle to what will be the largest prisoner exchange of the war. This will reunite families, build trust, and create momentum toward peace. Bringing Ukraine and Russia back together for the first trilateral talks since February was an important step. The discussions were serious, detailed, and frank. Both countries shared specific ideas to narrow the gaps and find a path to end the war. In close coordination with Ukraine and our European partners, we have aligned on proposals we will discuss with President Putin in Moscow tomorrow, followed by consultations with President Zelenskyy. President @realDonaldTrump is determined to end this horrible war. Significant differences remain, but we are committed to building on the progress made and advancing toward broader multilateral negotiations that can deliver lasting peace and a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine.

— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) November 11, 2026

Russia has consistently demanded that Ukraine hand over all of the Donbas region, including areas it has failed to capture in more than four years of fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv’s priority was to end the war as quickly as possible through a "dignified peace."

He said Europe should be represented at every stage of real diplomacy, and that the US must keep a strong position to press Russia to stop the war.

Rustem Umerov, who led Ukraine’s delegation, said both sides had been able to set out their positions directly, but that "significant differences remain" and there was "a great deal of difficult work ahead."

We have concluded two days of negotiations in the United Arab Emirates. The main result is that we reached an agreement on a large-scale POW exchange. We are now working to finalise the details and further practical realisation. Bringing our people home remains one of our top priorities. We are doing everything possible to ensure that every Ukrainian returns from captivity as soon as possible. In the trilateral Ukraine–US–Russia format, we discussed achieving peace and Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The first step — to end the war and ensure security guarantees for Ukraine. Over these two days, the parties were able to present their positions directly. Significant differences remain. There is still a great deal of difficult work ahead, but there are opportunities to continue the negotiation process. I thank the United States for its active role in organising and conducting the negotiations. Special thanks to @SEPeaceMissions Steve Witkoff and @jaredkushner for their personal involvement. I am grateful to the United Arab Emirates for its hospitality and support for the negotiations, as well as to our European partners — the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and representatives of NATO and the European Commission — for their joint work in Abu Dhabi.

— Rustem Umerov (@rustem_umerov) November 11, 2026

Russia’s delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest advisers.

Another member of the Ukrainian team, David Arakhamia, said it was one of the toughest rounds of talks, with the Russian side arriving with very rigid instructions.

He nonetheless called the meeting a success, saying that six months ago Kyiv had not expected trilateral talks to resume before spring.

He said it gave "good momentum" to find a solution before the end of the year.

Kushner and fellow US envoy Steve Witkoff will now travel to Moscow to meet Putin, before going to Dublin for talks with Zelensky.

(ał)

Source: PAP, IAR