Peace talks stall, but Russia-Ukraine show progress in prisoner exchange

International Desk
Russia and Ukraine failed to reach any major agreement after two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. However, the two sides have resumed exchanging prisoners of war and civilians after a long break in talks.

Ukraine said a total of 157 Ukrainian citizens had returned home, including seven civilians. Russia said the same number of 157 Russian soldiers had been taken back from Ukraine. This was the first major prisoner exchange in four months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media that the exchange was possible after a long time. He said that the returnees included members of the armed forces, the National Guard and the border guards. He also assured that efforts would continue to return every Ukrainian detained in Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, most of the released people had been in captivity since 2022.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the released Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus. Three Russian civilians, who are said to be residents of the Kursk region, have also been returned from Ukrainian custody.

The Abu Dhabi talks, attended by representatives from Russia, Ukraine and the United States, have been marked by sharp disagreements over territorial disputes and future security guarantees. Moscow is demanding the handover of the remaining part of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, while Kiev is seeking strong security guarantees from its European allies and the United States.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff described the talks as “deep and productive” but acknowledged that much work remains to be done. Zelensky also said the talks were not easy and he wanted to see rapid progress.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The administration of US President Donald Trump has renewed diplomatic efforts to end the four-year conflict, but despite recent talks, there has been no clear sign of an end to the war.