Talks between Russia and Ukraine have stalled over a land dispute, an issue that had complicated the first round of talks.
Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement to exchange 314 prisoners of war. The agreement was reached on the first day of the second round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the prisoner swap agreement was important. “The prisoners should be allowed to return home,” Zelensky said in a brief interview. This is the first time since the war that Russia and Ukraine have sat down at the negotiating table under US mediation. The first round of talks began on January 24. The second round of talks began on Wednesday.
The US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said the peace talks were fruitful. “314 prisoners have been exchanged. While important work remains, this step shows that talks to end the war are moving forward,” he said.
The talks between Russia and Ukraine have been stuck on a land dispute. The same issue had previously complicated the first round of talks. Russia has demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas region. Ukraine has not accepted that.
