Abu Dhabi Talks; Prisoner Agreement Reached Amid Deadlock on Ending Ukraine War
According to Alhurra, following two days of trilateral talks hosted in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11 with US mediation, Russian and Ukrainian representatives reached a humanitarian understanding that could lead to the largest prisoner exchange since the war began. However, the parties failed to achieve a breakthrough on key issues including territories, a ceasefire, and security guarantees. The meetings included Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian president, and Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, alongside US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening of talks. Kushner announced an understanding on a large-scale prisoner swap, though no agreement was announced regarding a ceasefire or territorial disputes. Analysts note that opposing goals and conditions between Moscow and Kyiv, alongside the Donald Trump administration's efforts to end the war, continue to cast a shadow over the diplomatic outlook of the conflict.