Russia and Ukraine agree to large exchange of prisoners during peace talks

Russian and Ukrainian officials, mediated by the United States, concluded a two-day meeting in Abu Dhabi on November 11, agreeing to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to make significant progress toward ending their nearly five-year-long war. The talks involved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Ukrainian officials expressed "restrained optimism" about the possibility of future meetings between Zelenskyy and Putin. European nations, including France, also participated in the discussions to address security guarantees for Ukraine and post-war reconstruction. However, despite initial hopes for a breakthrough, the primary outcome was an agreement on prisoner exchanges rather than substantive steps toward peace.