Kyiv – U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff introduced Thursday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to change 314 prisoners through the second spherical of U.S.-mediated peace talks between the 2 international locations in Abu Dhabi.
Two hours later, Russia’s protection ministry launched a video of freed prisoners of conflict draped in Russian flags boarding a bus in Belarus, a Russian ally that borders Ukraine and Russia, confirming the exchanges of 157 prisoners from every nation.
Witkoff mentioned the 2 days of trilateral negotiations within the United Arab Emirates capital have been “detailed and productive,” including that “whereas important work stays, steps like this exhibit that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible outcomes and advancing efforts to finish the conflict in Ukraine.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy advised reporters in Kyiv, in the meantime, that the trilateral talks would proceed “within the close to future.”
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout
In a social media submit, he mentioned the change “got here after an extended pause, and it’s important that we have been capable of make it occur,” including his due to “everybody who works to make these exchanges attainable,” together with Ukrainian troopers, whom he appeared to laud for capturing Russians and thus, “increasing Ukraine’s change fund.”
“With out the dedication of our warriors, such exchanges could be not possible. And thus each outcome achieved by our items is what additionally sustains the power to carry Ukrainians residence from Russia,” Zelenskyy mentioned, including that Ukraine would “proceed to work to launch our individuals from captivity.”
The prisoner swap suggests the trilateral talks, the primary spherical of which came about on the finish of January, are making sluggish progress on particular areas the place Russia and Ukraine can discover frequent floor – whereas leaving essentially the most contentious points for future discussions.
Ukrainian overseas ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi advised reporters because the talks started that, “essentially the most delicate and sophisticated points, comparable to territorial points,” might be left for the international locations’ heads of state to debate.
The final prisoner change occurred on Oct. 2, 2025, and progress on additional exchanges appeared to stall late final yr, with Zelenskyy telling reporters in Kyiv on the finish of January that Russia had “halted the method” of prisoner swaps.
“They aren’t notably fascinated about exchanging individuals, as a result of they don’t really feel that it provides them something. They imagine it advantages us,” he mentioned on the time.
