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Abu Dhabi Talks Yield POW Swap as U.S. and Russia Restore Military Contacts

The talks delivered confidence-building steps, leaving core disputes unresolved.

Overview

  • Ukraine and Russia exchanged 314 prisoners — 157 on each side — in the first swap in five months following the U.S.-brokered round in Abu Dhabi.
  • U.S. European Command said high-level military-to-military dialogue between Washington and Moscow will restart after meetings involving senior officers.
  • Envoys called the discussions detailed and productive, and further negotiations are planned soon, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicating the next round could be held in the United States.
  • Russian forces continued large missile and drone strikes during the talks, including barrages targeting Ukraine’s power grid that caused injuries in Kyiv and prolonged winter outages.
  • Key disputes remain over the status of Donbas and enforceable security guarantees for Ukraine, as Zelenskyy disclosed a death toll of about 55,000 Ukrainian service personnel.