16:40 05-02-2026

Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap Backed by UAE, US Talks

Russia and Ukraine complete a 157-for-157 prisoner exchange as talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the UAE and the US, move peace efforts forward talks continue.

Russia has brought home 157 of its servicemen from territory controlled by the Kiev regime, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The exchange was conducted on a one-for-one basis: Ukraine received 157 captured soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition to the military personnel, three civilians from Kursk Region were also able to return to Russia.

The ministry said the exchange was facilitated with the involvement of international mediators, naming the United Arab Emirates and the United States as key intermediaries in the process.

The agreement on the prisoner swap was confirmed on February 5 by US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. He indicated that Moscow, Kiev and Washington reached the arrangement during the second round of peace talks held in Abu Dhabi. The meetings took place behind closed doors, and the participants are expected to issue a separate statement on the results at a later stage.

The first round of consultations within the trilateral working group was held on January 23–24. At that stage, the discussions focused on unresolved elements of the peace plan proposed by the US side.

The talks in the UAE followed earlier contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and a US delegation led by Witkoff. After that meeting, the Kremlin reported that Washington had acknowledged the impossibility of achieving a lasting settlement without addressing the territorial issue within the framework agreed upon by Putin and US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Alaska on August 15, 2025. Moscow has consistently maintained that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass remains a core condition of Russia’s position in any peace process.