Ukraine and Russia have conducted a rare exchange of prisoners of war and civilians after two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
A total of 157 Ukrainians - seven of them civilians - and 157 Russian soldiers were returned home in the first such swap in four months.
Russian, Ukrainian and US teams took part in the talks in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with the main sticking points believed to be territorial concessions Ukraine is under pressure to make and security guarantees for it to prevent further Russian attacks if a deal is agreed to end the four-year war.
No breakthrough has been reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks had not been easy and he wanted faster results.
In a post on social media, Zelensky wrote that Thursday's prisoner exchange took place after a long pause - referring to the previous such swap last October. We are returning our people home - 157 Ukrainians. Soldiers of the Armed Forces and civilians are also returning with the defenders. Most have been in captivity since 2022, he stated.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said 139 had been held since the beginning of the conflict in 2022. The Russian defense ministry reported the return of 157 POWs by Kyiv, including three civilians allegedly held illegally.
The talks in Abu Dhabi are part of efforts led by US President Donald Trump to end the war, with negotiations overseen by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who noted that while discussions were detailed and productive, significant work remains.
Key issues of contention include territory, particularly Russia's demand for Ukraine to cede areas in the eastern region of Donbas, and Kyiv’s insistence on receiving robust security guarantees from its allies.
The situation escalated recently, as Russia launched renewed attacks on Ukraine's energy sector amidst a harsh winter, leaving many without heat or electricity.
