Russia and Ukraine agree to biggest prisoner swap yet at Abu Dhabi peace summit

Résumé détaillé

Kushner revealed that he and fellow US envoy Steve Witkoff are scheduled to travel to Moscow on Thursday for discussions with Putin

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Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a major prisoner swap following two days of peace discussions in Abu Dhabi, though American mediators cautioned that deep divides remain over key matters such as territory.

Marking their first direct negotiations in nine months, both nations established an agreement in principle to exchange prisoners of war, with specific numbers expected to be finalised on Thursday.

US envoy Jared Kushner described the planned exchange as the "biggest humanitarian release of prisoners" during the four-and-a-half-year conflict, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy indicated that its overall scale would be "significant."

Although delegates from both Moscow and Kyiv reported progress at the Abu Dhabi summit and pledged to continue dialogue, few other concrete breakthroughs were announced following the meetings mediated by Washington.

Kushner, son-in-law to US President Donald Trump, stated that negotiators were seeking to appeal to the direct interests of both sides to bring an end to Europe's largest conflict since the Second World War, expressing optimism that a path toward peace could be established.

Despite upbeat public assertions from Trump, there have been no indicators of substantial compromise regarding primary points of contention after more than four and a half years of fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kyiv continues to firmly dismiss demands from Russian President Vladimir Putin to hand over the entire eastern Donbas region as a condition for peace. With discussions stalled on territorial concessions, American mediators have attempted to pivot negotiations toward post-war security commitments and economic reconstruction.

"The reality is there is no trust right now between the sides and that is to be expected after a conflict like this," Kushner observed, acknowledging…

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