Moscow says Russia, Ukraine 'agree in principle' on prisoner exchange

Russia and Ukraine have agreed "in principle" on a new large-scale prisoner exchange, with details to be announced soon, the head of the Russian delegation at talks in Abu Dhabi said Wednesday.

Addressing a news conference after the second day of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US, Vladimir Medinsky said the humanitarian issue was raised.

"Yes, it was raised. Members of our delegation worked on this purposefully. We agreed in principle on a new large-scale prisoner exchange, the specific parameters of which will be announced in the near future," he said.

Asked about earlier rounds in Türkiye and Switzerland, at which the sides managed to agree on prisoner swaps, Medinsky did not give further details, noting that specific details of the negotiating process are never discussed until a final agreement is reached.

Medinsky said the future European security architecture was the central agenda item of the talks.

"We exchanged our positions, in some places found mutual understanding, in some places not. And this conversation will certainly be continued," he said.

The official said Russia has raised the issue of a new European security system many times, in 2008 and in 2021, and that the war in Ukraine showed the existing system was failing.

"The world needs a new modern, updated security system, a fair one, not at the expense of some individual countries," he said.

- No contact made with European delegation

Medinsky said the Russian delegation made no contact with European representatives in Abu Dhabi.

"No, we did not communicate with them. We don't really understand in what status they are here. The negotiations are of an approved bilateral nature," he said.

"We receive not a single peace initiative, not a single concrete peace proposal from European countries," he said. "If they came here as tourists, let them talk among themselves. When there are some concrete proposals, then they can be discussed."

Medinsky praised US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

"(US President Donald) Trump's envoys are sincere, effective people and, most importantly, aimed not at empty talk but at results," he said.

The official also thanked the UAE leadership for organizing the talks.