Two days of talks between Russian and Ukrainian diplomats in the UAE did not result in a breakthrough. However, the two sides agreed to a prisoner exchange, and the parties reported progress was made.
Following the US-mediated talks, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, described the discussions as “tough.” “Bringing Ukraine and Russia back together for the first trilateral talks since February was an important step,” he wrote in a post on X. “The discussions were serious, detailed, and frank. Both countries shared specific ideas to narrow the gaps and find a path to end the war.”
While Kushner holds no official position in the Trump administration, he has served as an American representative in negotiations with Russia, Hamas, and Iran. He said that the two sides agreed to a prisoner exchange and he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Trump’s Envoy Steve Witkoff, on Thursday in Moscow to finalize details.
Kushner and Witkoff will then meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ireland.
Prisoner exchanges have been common during the nearly five-year-long war. Kushner added that reaching an agreement will be complex as it involves multinational agreements and the two sides are still far apart on territorial claims.
Commenting on the talks, the head of the Russian delegation, Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, said that he thinks the two sides moved closer to peace, but added, “A lot depends on Ukraine, the position of the United States, and whether Europe comes to its senses. In any case, all the objectives we have set will be achieved.”
Ukraine’s lead negotiator David Arakhamia said there was “good momentum” following the talks. However, in a speech on Wednesday, Zelensky rejected giving Russia security guarantees.
“So when the Russians now talk about a security architecture for themselves, or about security guarantees for Russia – they are hardly talking about real security. And peace,” he told the Danish parliament. “What they really want – is to freely interfere in the affairs of other countries, and to use force whenever they want, and to make sure that no one can support liberty inside Russia because Putin wants to keep his personal power forever and pass on his imperialist and, in many ways, simply fascist views to the next generations.”
