Zelensky says biggest prisoner swap with Russia is agreed after meeting US envoys
Kushner says talks helped finalize the exchange and that Putin is "ready to try" having Europeans take part in future negotiations.
Russia and Ukraine settled on a big prisoner-of-war exchange in Abu Dhabi, where US-mediated talks ran two days and ended Wednesday, Nov. 11, with no major breakthrough and no ceasefire. Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, said the numbers would be finalized the next day. Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, said the agreement was "in principle."
On Thursday, Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. They then met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Baldonnel Aerodrome, outside Dublin. Zelensky announced agreement on what he called the biggest prisoner exchange since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
He called it a "real result" and said thousands of prisoners of war could return to their families. According to Kushner, the talks worked out the details for bringing back thousands of people. He also said Putin is "ready to try" having Europeans take part in future talks.
Witkoff said another meeting is on the schedule. Earlier, Russian military official Alexander Zorin said a swap could take place within two or three weeks. Zelensky has stated Ukraine will not yield to pressure to surrender occupied land for peace.
- thousandsprisoners to return home, per KushnerNewsweek
- the next two or three weekswhen the swap could happen, per Russian official ZorinCourthouse News
- 1,000 for 1,000swap Zelensky had earlier suggested, with 1,500 for 1,500 as another optionDeutsche Welle
Three sides of the story
6 news outlets reported this
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Liberal1 outlet
Large prisoner swap agreed, no peace breakthrough
The Boston Globe runs the AP wire report, which opens with both sides confirming a large prisoner-of-war swap after two days of US-mediated talks that produced "no major breakthrough." It notes that hopes had been low for the first meeting in nine months. Kushner is quoted on "the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners," and Medinsky adds that the deal is "in principle."
Kushner also says there is "no trust right now between the sides." Zelensky gives a muted welcome and says Ukraine will not cede occupied territory. On Europe he says ending the war without it "would be unjust, and it would be impossible."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Europeans could eventually join but that their current statements show no wish to help. The report lists security guarantees, occupied land and Europe's role as the main hurdles. It also reports the Odesa market attack, in which three people died and 11 were hurt, and Russia's claim of 627 drones downed.
Center3 outlets
Swap deal reached, Europe's seat at talks pursued
Newsweek, in a breaking-news piece, leads with Zelensky announcing progress after meeting Kushner and Witkoff in Ireland. He says "Our soldiers will come home," calling the swap "a real result." Kushner says Putin "is ready to try"
European participation, and Witkoff says another meeting is scheduled. Deutsche Welle looks back at Abu Dhabi and finds the main outcome was the prisoner exchange, with no ceasefire. Ukrainian experts see the swap as the main gain, and some doubt the wider talks.
Artjom Bronzhukov calls the swap "already a major step forward," while Iuliia Osmolovska of GLOBSEC calls the diplomacy "more of a farce" and says positive assessments from diplomats are "standard phrases." DW also quotes Medinsky on Russian land and Kyrylo Budanov saying the talks' content stays confidential until an agreement is reached. Courthouse News runs the same AP wire report as the Boston Globe, built around both sides confirming the swap.
Conservative2 outlets
Biggest swap yet, but Russian aims unchanged
RedState's headline pairs the "Biggest POW Exchange yet" with a "Russian Bait-And-Switch Plan." It calls the swap the only tangible outcome of talks that ended "with a whimper," and says more than 1,000 prisoners, possibly 1,500, will be involved. It quotes Medinsky saying "every inch of Russian land will be returned to Russia, one way or another."
It also reports that Medinsky wants Europe's security system reconsidered and refused to engage with EU representatives. It adds Finnish President Alexander Stubb's account of a call with Putin. A Washington Examiner opinion piece, titled "In failed talks, Russia proves its lies on Ukraine peace," argues that Moscow's war aims are unchanged.
It says Ukraine giving up the remaining Donbas could make sense only for an Article 5-style guarantee backed by US forces, and that Moscow's resistance to one shows its stated commitment to peace is false.
- RedState: Russia-Ukraine Talks Produce Biggest POW Exchange yet and Reveal a Russian Bait-And-Switch Plan
- Washington Examiner: In failed talks, Russia proves its lies on Ukraine peace (opinion)
Which side made the stronger case?
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All sources: 6 articles from 6 outlets
Liberal (1)
- The Boston Globe: Russia and Ukraine agree to a large prisoner exchange as talks end with no major breakthrough
Center (3)
- Courthouse News: Russia and Ukraine agree to a large prisoner exchange as talks end with no major breakthrough
- Deutsche Welle: What have the talks with Russia and the US in Abu Dhabi achieved for Ukraine?
- Newsweek: Zelensky, Kushner Meeting: Everything We Know About Prisoner Exchange Plans
Conservative (2)
- RedState: Russia-Ukraine Talks Produce Biggest POW Exchange yet and Reveal a Russian Bait-And-Switch Plan
- Washington Examiner: In failed talks, Russia proves its lies on Ukraine peace (opinion)
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