The Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams discussed a possible exchange of either 1,000 or 1,500 prisoners of war (POWs) each during the first day of US-mediated trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Nov. 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, Kyiv Post reports.
Speaking during a press conference in Copenhagen, Zelensky said that he had spoken with Ukraine’s negotiators, noting that Wednesday, Nov. 11, would be the most crucial day of the negotiations. De-escalation steps, including on energy and the Black Sea, and a possible trilateral summit, remain on the agenda.
The Russian delegation also raised the issue of territory, which Zelensky said is a matter to be decided at the level of leaders, Interfax-Ukraine reported.
According to RBC-Ukraine, Zelensky argued that the pressure on Russia remains insufficient. While acknowledging Washington’s effort, he said tougher pressure and less business with Moscow would prove more effective. The president also reiterated the importance of European involvement in the process.
Senior US envoy Jared Kushner, who represents Washington alongside envoy Steve Witkoff, wrote in a separate statement on Tuesday, Nov. 10, that the American side was “encouraged by the constructive discussions today.”
The US is “working to end this devastating war and establish the security arrangements necessary for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine and lasting peace across Europe,” he added.
