Jared Kushner, a U.S. envoy, said after talks wrapped up in Abu Dhabi that the sides had agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war.
Negotiators from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine concluded two days of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on November 11, securing an agreement in principle for a large-scale prisoner exchange while remaining deeply divided over territorial control and European security arrangements.
The meetings mark the first direct trilateral contact between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in nine months. While the talks produced a humanitarian breakthrough in the form of an agreement on a large prisoner exchange, fundamental disagreements on the political future of eastern Ukraine persist.
The trilateral negotiations in the capital of the United Arab Emirates began on November 10, bringing together American intermediaries, Russian officials led by Vladimir Medinsky, and Ukrainian representatives. Alongside Medinsky, the Russian delegation included Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy advisor to Vladimir Putin.
President Trump today advanced an important discussion with several European leaders about the need for a broader European security architecture that can help establish the conditions for lasting peace. Building on his leadership and the substantive work undertaken this week in… https://t.co/jZ9uAQnkd4
Kyiv’s negotiating delegation engaged directly with the Russian side for the first time since early this year, while European Union and NATO representatives maintained a presence in the United Arab Emirates capital without attending the three-way sessions directly. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte offered an upbeat appraisal of the diplomatic contacts, stating that his consultations indicated the United States, Ukraine, and Europe were completely aligned and united.
“I was in touch with the NATO team present in Abu Dhabi in the last two days,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters.
💬 President #Putin to US envoys: We worked well together on humanitarian issues in #Alyoshki. There is a town in Donbass called #Konstantinovka. Some 400-500 civilians are still there. 👉 Let us do what we did in Alyoshki.https://t.co/tTSJPGV3VV pic.twitter.com/COQuwQKs1l
Moscow and Kyiv Hold Firm on Territory
Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky asserted on the sidelines of the United Arab Emirates summit that his country saw no possibility of exchanging territory with Ukraine, according to state media reports covered by Deutsche Welle.
Kyiv countered by maintaining its core demands for state survival and sovereignty. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in Dublin that Ukraine firmly rejected a proposal for it to surrender territory in exchange for a peace settlement.
.@SEPeaceMissions, @jaredkushner, and I met in Ireland following all the negotiations held this week. First, a humanitarian outcome – prisoners will be released, and we are counting on the largest prisoner exchange since the start of this war. The second outcome – we are… pic.twitter.com/C7VvLrCnNR
Despite the lack of a breakthrough on territorial disputes or ceasefires covering critical infrastructure, Ukrainian President Zelensky confirmed that a prisoner exchange had been discussed, something he said was a real result from the two days of discussions.
“I will take part in the opening plenary session of the EPC Summit. A meeting on diplomatic efforts with the American negotiating team — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — is also planned,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media.
Envoys Travel to Moscow and Dublin
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin as Washington presses ahead with efforts to broker an end to the nearly five-year conflict.
Putin warned the U.S. representatives that Russia would target any foreign troops deployed to Ukraine. During the discussions, the Russian leader also reiterated his view that the emergence of an independent Ukrainian state left historical Russia divided.
After leaving Russia, Witkoff and Kushner flew to an air base in Dublin to brief Zelenskyy on their discussions with Putin. Speaking alongside the Ukrainian leader at the airfield, Kushner emphasized the necessity of European involvement in the diplomatic process while confirming that European representatives would join the next round of talks.
“We cannot conclude this deal without Europeans being at the table,” said Jared Kushner, U.S. envoy, speaking at the air base in Dublin alongside President Zelensky. Witkoff similarly told reporters before boarding his plane that European nations are partners and it is important for them to be involved in the unfolding process.
In Dublin, I met with the national security advisors of the E4 countries – the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy – as well as those of the European Commission and the European Council. I thanked them for their engagement in communication with the American side, their… pic.twitter.com/Dh6OUHshbh
European Leaders Demands a Direct Voice
The push to include European capitals in the negotiations comes as continental leaders gather in Ireland.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described a new package of sanctions as a move to turn the screws on Russia’s oil revenues, while national security adviser Jonathan Powell would join the talks in Berlin. Jean-Noël Barrot asserted on French radio that France would ensure Europe’s voice is heard at the negotiating table.
At the same time, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas argued that existing frameworks like the Helsinki Accords and the Budapest Memorandum already form the basis of the continent’s security architecture.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reported ongoing military complications on the ground, pointing to disruptions affecting Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service that appeared deliberate rather than technical faults, impacting operations as Russian air strikes continue to hit civilian areas and energy infrastructure across Ukraine.
Earlier coverage: European Officials Resist U.S. Plan for New Russia-Europe Security Deal
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