Russia-Ukraine talks conclude without breakthrough on ending war
Al Jazeera
Warring sides exchange 157 prisoners of war each but fail to break deadlock on bringing Russia’s war to a close.
Ukraine and Russia have concluded a second day of United States-brokered negotiations in the United Arab Emirates without achieving a breakthrough towards ending Russia’s war.
The two sides agreed to each hand over 157 prisoners of war with officials from Ukraine and the US as well as Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirming on Thursday that the exchange had taken place.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff – who led the American mediation team alongside Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law – said that while “significant work remains” in peace negotiations to end the war, the prisoner swap showed that “sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.”
Progress was also reached towards strengthening US-Russian engagement. According to the US military’s European Command, the two sides agreed to re-establish high-level military-to-military dialogue, which has been suspended since 2021.
The channel “will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace”, the European Command said in a statement.
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