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Ukraine and Russia have completed a second round of U.S.-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi, marking a rare diplomatic breakthrough in Europe’s largest conflict since World War Two. The discussions, mediated by the United States, resulted in a major prisoner of war exchange and an agreement to continue negotiations soon, potentially on U.S. soil.
According to U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, delegations from Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war in total. The swap, which took place on Thursday, was the first such exchange in five months and was described as a tangible result of sustained diplomatic engagement. Ukraine and Russia each returned 157 prisoners, with Russia also receiving three civilians from its Kursk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said some of the freed Ukrainian soldiers had been held in captivity for nearly four years. Footage released by Kyiv showed emotional scenes as returning prisoners, many draped in Ukrainian flags, reunited with loved ones. Zelenskiy reiterated Ukraine’s openness to any diplomatic format that can deliver a reliable and lasting peace, while stressing the need for strong security guarantees from partners such as the United States to prevent future Russian aggression.
Russia’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev described the talks as showing “progress and positive movement,” adding that efforts were underway to restore broader U.S.-Russia relations, including economic cooperation. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said additional sanctions on Russia would depend on Moscow’s actions going forward, maintaining that Russia’s 2022 invasion was illegal.
Despite diplomatic momentum, fighting continues along the 1,200-kilometer front line. Russian forces launched airstrikes and drone attacks ahead of and during the talks, while Ukraine reported successful long-range strikes on Russian military targets. Key unresolved issues include control of eastern Donetsk, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and broader territorial disputes, with Russia occupying about 20% of Ukraine.
While a comprehensive ceasefire remains elusive, the prisoner swap and commitment to further negotiations signal cautious hope that diplomacy could eventually bring the nearly four-year war closer to an end.
