Ukraine and Russia agree to large prisoner swap after US-mediated talks

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war, as part of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi.

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, and Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv's delegation, confirmed the planned exchange.

Hopes were low for any major breakthrough in the first meeting in nine months between the two sides. 

Russia and Ukraine have, from time to time, swapped prisoners during their nearly five-year war.

US officials say they are determined to revive Washington's peace efforts that so far have failed to deliver significant results.

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow on Thursday to meet with President Vladimir Putin, then fly to Dublin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The context of the negotiations has changed since the last meeting in February in Geneva, when discussions ended in a stalemate and Washington shifted attention to its war with Iran.

The Trump administration has to reckon with Democrats, who could demand more support for Ukraine, taking over the US Congress in January following the US midterm elections.

Russia's wartime economy is under heavy strain and Ukraine is reeling from devastating aerial attacks on its power grid.

Ukrainian delegation to meet with European officials

Mr Umerov said Kyiv's delegation is expected to meet with European officials on Wednesday.

Moscow doesn't want European countries, which are concerned about Russia's conduct and broader intentions on the continent, involved in the direct negotiations. 

However, representatives of European governments, the European Union and NATO were in Abu Dhabi and were consulting with the Ukrainian delegation, officials said.

Mr Zelenskyy, who is in Copenhagen and did not attend the talks, said the second day was "constructive and quite substantive".

"It was not simple to involve Europe. That is point number one," he said after being asked to specify which changes to the US approach at the talks he was "happy" to see.

He said he did not think it was possible to think about European security "without Europe".

Russia's chief negotiator Mr Medinsky said after the talks ended that mutual understanding had been achieved on some issues and that more talks would be held.

But Mr Medinsky said it was unclear what there was for Russia and the European Union to discuss, given what he said was a lack of proposals from the European side.

"When they come up with some concrete proposals, then we'll give those proposals some thought," he said.

"As things stand, I think it would be useful for them to learn, for example, from the American envoys — in terms of common sense, realism and a desire to achieve peace."

Humanitarian issues on agenda

The talks were largely about humanitarian issues, including possible prisoner exchanges and returning Ukrainian civilians in captivity, as well as children taken from the country, he said.

Security guarantees also were discussed, Mr Zelenskyy said. 

However, Russia and Ukraine have shown no sign of a willingness to compromise on their demands.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the meeting "very productive," while cautioning that a breakthrough on stopping the war will take time.

The Abu Dhabi talks were held against the backdrop of continued fighting on the front line, where little territory has changed hands this year.

Meanwhile, both countries are battering each other with long-range missiles and drones.

Overnight, Russia struck the southern Zaporizhzhia region and the eastern city of Kharkiv, wounding seven civilians and damaging property.

Russia's Defense Ministry said that air defences downed 627 Ukrainian drones overnight, 150 of them over the region around St Petersburg, according to the regional governor Alexander Drozdenko.

He said that the drones started a fire at the port of Ust-Luga, one of the main facilities for Russian oil exports, injuring three workers.