World·Russia-Ukraine
Update: Abu Dhabi talks end with a deal for a large Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap; Kushner and Witkoff head to Moscow to see Putin
The second day of U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi ended Wednesday, and Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the two sides agreed on a large-scale prisoner exchange and that more talks would be held, the Guardian reported, citing Reuters. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner called the talks "very substantive" but "pretty tough" and said he and Steve Witkoff will meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, where he hopes to finalize "the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners." Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov also confirmed the planned exchange, AP reported; Kushner said the Russians want more progress before any Putin-Zelensky meeting, and Medinsky was cool on bringing European countries into the talks.
- The Guardian (Europe live)Ukraine-Russia talks end with deal on prisoner swap, but Moscow remains cool on European involvement
- APRussia and Ukraine agree to a large exchange of prisoners of war, officials at Abu Dhabi talks say