US Envoy Witkoff Particulars Main Russia–Ukraine Prisoner Trade Following Talks in Abu Dhabi – Market Evaluation & Knowledge

After intensive peace talks mediated by the US in Abu Dhabi, U.S. particular presidential envoy Steve Witkoff posted new particulars Thursday a couple of main prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, asserting that the 2 international locations agreed to alternate 314 prisoners of warfare.

Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s particular envoy for peace missions, took to the social media platform X early on Thursday to share the most recent particulars. He stated the settlement to alternate 314 prisoners got here out of peace negotiations he described as “detailed and productive.”

He added that “Whereas important work stays, steps like this display that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible outcomes and advancing efforts to finish the warfare in Ukraine.”

Based on Witkoff’s put up, the settlement reached in Abu Dhabi is the primary prisoner swap of this scale since late 2025. He famous that ongoing discussions among the many U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian delegations will proceed, with additional progress anticipated within the coming weeks. He additionally thanked the United Arab Emirates for internet hosting the talks and cited President Trump’s management in facilitating the negotiations.

Based on the BBC, the phrases of the settlement specify that each Russia and Ukraine will launch 157 prisoners of warfare every, break up evenly between the edges, totaling 314. The swap came about shortly after the conclusion of the second day of trilateral talks within the UAE capital.

Ukrainian officers confirmed that the launched troopers have already returned to Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posted a video of Ukrainian troopers leaving a bus to be greeted by their family members on his social media.

Video launched by the Russian Protection Ministry confirmed freed prisoners draped in Russian flags boarding a bus in Belarus, a Russian ally bordering each international locations, underscoring the logistical scale of the swap.

In a video posted to his social media, Zelenskyy welcomed the alternate, calling it “essential,” particularly after an extended interval with out such swaps. He additional stated within the video that, “Crucial factor is that there was a prisoner alternate, and 157 of our folks have returned house from Russian captivity… On Ukraine’s half, we’re doing all the things to make sure the exchanges.”

Regardless of the breakthrough on prisoner exchanges, the talks within the UAE didn’t yield a cease-fire or a complete peace deal. Reporting from Reuters notes that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators proceed to disagree over territorial management and the long run standing of contested areas in jap Ukraine. Nonetheless, Witkoff completed his assertion by writing, “Discussions will proceed, with further progress anticipated within the coming weeks.”