Ukraine and Russia Agree on Prisoner Exchange

Russia and Ukraine have agreed in principle to a major prisoner-of-war exchange following two days of US-mediated negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The agreement represents a limited diplomatic achievement as both sides continue to struggle to reach a comprehensive settlement to the nearly five-year conflict.

US envoy Jared Kushner said negotiators would finalize the number of prisoners involved, while Russian officials indicated that the exchange could take place within weeks. Discussions also covered postwar security guarantees, reconstruction and the possibility of establishing a broader European security framework.

However, the negotiations ended without a major breakthrough on territorial disputes. Moscow continues to demand Ukrainian territory in the Donbas region, while Kyiv insists that its sovereignty and future security cannot be compromised. Fighting also continued during the talks, with Russian strikes reported in Odesa and Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian infrastructure.

The diplomatic process is expected to continue through further meetings involving US, Russian and Ukrainian representatives.