Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war, both sides said Wednesday as two days of U.S.-mediated talks concluded with no major breakthrough on ending Moscow’s nearly five-year-old full-scale invasion.
asserted
days → agree → invasion
Russia and Ukraine have from time to time swapped POWs but have remained far apart in their demands for accepting a peace settlement.
asserted
Russia → swap → settlement
U.S. officials say they are determined to revive Washington’s peace efforts that so far have failed to deliver significant results.
asserted
that → say → results
Along with postwar security guarantees for both countries, other key hurdles are the fate of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and what role European countries will play in an eventual settlement.
asserted
countries → occupy → settlement
US envoys to meet with Putin and Zelenskyy
The sides last met in February on Russia’s invasion, which analysts and humanitarian organizations say has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of civilians.
asserted
analysts → meet → civilians
The talks lasted just under two hours Wednesday, after a four-hour session the previous day.
“One of the positives is we agreed that we’re going to have the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners, which we’re going to finalize the numbers tomorrow,” said Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, after the Abu Dhabi talks ended.
asserted
talks → last → law
Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, and Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s contingent, confirmed the planned POW exchange, although Medinsky noted the agreement was “in principle.”
asserted
agreement → lead → principle
Alexander Zorin, a deputy chief of the General Staff’s information department who attended the talks, told Russian state TV it would be one of the biggest such swaps since 1,000 soldiers from each side returned home last year.
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soldiers → attend → side
The latest exchange could take place in the next two or three weeks, he said.
uncertain
he → take → weeks
Kushner said he and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with President Vladimir Putin, then fly to Dublin, Ireland, to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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he → say → Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian leader gave a muted welcome to the outcome of the talks, saying a proposed prisoner exchange was a positive step.
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exchange → give → talks
But he said Ukraine will not give in to demands that it cede its territory that has been occupied by Russia in exchange for peace.
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that → say → peace
Medinsky said he felt the talks helped Moscow and Kyiv edge closer to peace, while Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described them as “substantive and quite useful.”
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Ushakov → say → them
Russia opposed European officials in the talks
Umerov said Kyiv’s delegation was expected to meet later Wednesday with representatives of European governments, the European Union and NATO who were in the capital of the United Arab Emirates but did not attend the three-way talks.
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who → oppose → talks
Moscow doesn’t want European countries, which are concerned about Russia’s conduct and broader intentions on the continent, involved in the direct negotiations.
asserted
which → want → negotiations
Kushner said one of the goals of the Moscow meeting is to try to get Europeans added to the talks.
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Europeans → say → talks
In Dublin, Zelenskyy said it was positive that security advisers and senior officials from European governments, the EU and NATO were in Abu Dhabi, even though they were not a part of the talks.
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they → say → talks
he said there had been a “change in temperature,” with Washington warming to the idea of a European role.
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Washington → say → role
“Ending this war without Europe’s participation would be unjust, and it would be impossible,” Zelenskyy said through an interpreter.
asserted
Zelenskyy → end → interpreter
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European representatives could eventually join peace talks but added their current statements “don’t indicate any desire on their part to contribute to movement along the path toward peace.”
uncertain
statements → say → peace
Moscow complains that Europe is financing and supplying weaponry to Ukraine.
asserted
Europe → complain → Ukraine
Kushner said both Ukraine and Russia needed clarity on postwar security arrangements.
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Ukraine → say → arrangements
He said European countries, the EU and NATO have to be involved in those discussions to build consensus on next steps.
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countries → say → steps
Ukraine wants to ensure that Moscow doesn’t invade again, and EU officials say any discussions on Europe’s security arrangements could only start after a ceasefire.
uncertain
discussions → want → ceasefire
Many in Europe see the inclusion of Russia in those plans as a concession to Putin, who has described NATO’s eastward expansion as a top security threat to his country.
asserted
who → see → country
Moscow has demanded that the alliance’s troops be pulled back its troops from Russia’s borders.
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troops → demand → borders
Russia’s security concerns were discussed at the talks, Kushner said, adding that Moscow was told it needs to provide different de-escalation proposals acceptable to Europe.
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it → discuss → Europe
“The reality is, is there’s no trust right now between the sides.
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reality → ’ → sides
And that’s to be expected after a conflict like this,” he said.
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he → ’ → this
But he posted on X later that the POW exchange “will reunite families, build trust and create momentum toward peace.”
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exchange → post → peace
The talks were held in a new political atmosphere
The context of the negotiations has changed since the February meeting in Geneva.
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context → hold → Geneva
The Trump administration now must reckon with Democrats taking over the U.S. Congress in January following the U.S. midterm elections, and they could demand more support for Ukraine.
uncertain
they → reckon → Ukraine
Also, Russia’s wartime economy is under heavy strain, and Ukraine is reeling from devastating aerial attacks on its power grid.
asserted
Ukraine → reel → grid
Fighting continues on the front line, where little territory has changed hands this year.
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territory → continue → hands
Both countries are battering each other with long-range missiles and drones.
asserted
countries → batter → missiles
Three people died and 11 were injured after Russia launched a daytime attack on a market in the southern Odesa region, local authorities said.
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authorities → die → region
Residential buildings were damaged, said Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.
asserted
Kiper → damage → administration
Overnight, Russia struck the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine and the eastern city of Kharkiv, wounding seven civilians and damaging property, Ukrainian officials said.
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officials → strike → property
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed 627 Ukrainian drones overnight, 150 of them over the region around St. Petersburg.
asserted
it → say → Petersburg
Regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said the drones started a fire at the port of Ust-Luga, a main facility for Russian oil exports, injuring three workers.
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drones → say → workers
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
