afp/ap | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj pushed for more speed after the conclusion of the new Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi. “We want faster results,” Zelensky said in Kyiv on Thursday. The two-day meeting between negotiators from Russia and Ukraine ended earlier in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Zelenskyj made the comments on Thursday alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Earlier, the spokeswoman for the Ukrainian negotiator in Abu Dhabi, Rustem Umerov, said that the negotiations were “completed”. According to Umerow, the US-mediated talks were held in the “same format” as the day before: “trilateral consultations, group work and subsequent coordination of positions.”
The US special envoy Steve Witkoff According to the report, both sides agreed on a new prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi. The exchange is the first in five months and affects 314 prisoners, Witkoff said on the online service X. The agreement was “reached through detailed and productive peace talks.” But there is still “a lot of work” ahead of everyone.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the agreement. It stated that “on February 5, 157 Russian soldiers were returned from Ukraine.” In return, “157 prisoners of war would be handed over to the Ukrainian armed forces.” The Emirates and the United States provided “humanitarian mediation” for the return of the Russian prisoners.
“Substantial” conversations
The negotiators from Ukraine and Russia came to Abu Dhabi for another meeting on Wednesday. Umerow described the first part of the new meeting as “productive” and spoke of “substantial” discussions.
Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev told state media on Thursday that there was “definitely progress, things are moving in a good, positive direction.” He accused the Europeans of trying to “disrupt” progress. However, Dmitriev did not provide any details.
In an unusual official statement on the losses on the front, Zelensky said on Wednesday that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since Russia invaded in February 2022. However, independent experts estimate the number to be much higher.
A week and a half ago, negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv spoke directly to each other for the first time about the US plan to end the fighting. According to information from negotiating circles, both sides now agree on several points. However, the main point of contention remains Moscow’s demand for Ukraine’s complete withdrawal from the important industrial region of Donbass.
New attacks
US President Donald Trump has been urging both sides to negotiate an end to the war since his return to the White House over a year ago. Zelensky said in an interview on French television broadcast on Wednesday that the role of the US president was crucial. “Putin is just afraid of Trump,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Russian army launched new night attacks in Ukraine. Overnight, Russia fired two missiles and 183 drones at the neighboring country, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Two people were reportedly injured in the capital Kyiv.
Meanwhile, at least nine Russian military bloggers reported a widespread failure of Starlink terminals across the war front in Ukraine – which could complicate both Russian army communications and drone strikes. The technology allows Russia to better control drones so that they hit their target precisely. Thanks to Starlink, the drones are less susceptible to jamming signals.
Military exchange
Starlink is operated by SpaceX, a company owned by Elon Musk. At Kyiv’s request, the tech multi-billionaire had taken steps to prevent the use of the network for Russian drone attacks.
According to the US Department of Defense, the US and Russia have agreed to resume their high-level military exchanges. “Maintaining dialogue between armed forces is an important factor for global stability and peace, which can only be achieved through strength,” the US Armed Forces European Command said in a statement.
It promotes “more transparency and de-escalation”. High-level military communications were suspended in 2021, shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.