Ukraine and Russia have conducted a rare exchange of prisoners of war and civilians after two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
A total of 157 Ukrainians - seven of them civilians - and 157 Russian soldiers were returned home in the first such swap in four months.
Russian, Ukrainian and US teams took part in the talks in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with the main sticking points believed to be territorial concessions Ukraine is under pressure to make and security guarantees for it to prevent further Russian attacks if a deal is agreed to end the four-year war.
No breakthrough has been reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks had not been easy and he wanted 'faster results'.
In a post on social media, Zelensky wrote that the prisoner exchange 'took place after a long pause' - referring to the previous such swap last October. 'We are returning our people home - 157 Ukrainians. Soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Service… And civilians are also returning with the defenders,' he added.
Zelensky highlighted that most of those returned had been in captivity since 2022, emphasizing a commitment to bring back every Ukrainian still held. Meanwhile, the Russian defense ministry confirmed the return of its soldiers and stated that three civilians were also handed back.
The possibility of resolving deep-rooted territorial issues and obtaining robust security guarantees remains contentious, as talks have resumed amid renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
