- 1Zelensky said Ukraine and Russia agreed, with US consent, to a prisoner-of-war exchange he described as the largest.
- 2He spoke after meeting US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Dublin on November 12.
- 3Kushner said the sides finalized arrangements on prisoners of war after his and Witkoff's meetings with the Russian side.
- 4Zelensky said Europe will be directly represented at the next meeting; the sources give no swap size or date.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and Russia have agreed, with the consent of the American side, to carry out what he described as the largest prisoner swap of the war. He spoke to journalists in Dublin after meeting US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on November 12, according to Interfax-Ukraine and Ukrainska Pravda.
Zelensky said the trilateral format of Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi gives hope of ending the war, according to Radio Svoboda. Numbers and timing of the exchange have not been stated in the sources.
What Zelensky said
Zelensky said Witkoff and Kushner told him it would be the largest exchange of prisoners of war, and that Russia and the American team had both agreed to it. He said the soldiers would return home, according to Ukrainska Pravda. Radio Svoboda reports he said delegations of Ukraine, Russia and the United States agreed in Abu Dhabi on the next exchange. He also said the trilateral format in the United Arab Emirates gives hope of ending the war.
Kushner described a very good discussion with Zelensky about the previous three days, during which he and Witkoff also met the Russian president and his negotiating team. He said the sides were able to finalize arrangements on prisoners of war, per Radio Svoboda.
Europe's role and what is unconfirmed
Zelensky said the US delegates made progress on including Europe, which he said would be represented directly at the next meeting as a full party. He said work is under way to organize that meeting with all negotiating teams soon, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
The sources do not give the number of prisoners, the date of the exchange or any statement from Moscow. These details remain unverified.
Reported from 4 published sources (Radio Svoboda, Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda). Facts, figures and quotes come only from those sources. Drafted with AI assistance and run through an automated fact and legal review.
- Zelensky announced the 'largest' prisoner exchange after meeting Kushner and Witkoff (in Ukrainian) · Radio Svoboda
- Ukraine and Russia to hold largest exchange of prisoners of war, Zelensky says after meeting Trump's representatives (in Ukrainian) · Interfax-Ukraine
- Ukraine and Russia to hold largest exchange of prisoners of war, Zelensky says after meeting Trump's representatives (in Ukrainian) · Interfax-Ukraine
Alex Carter is the senior geopolitics editor of the U.S. edition of Oppositioner. He covers geopolitics, elections and institutional conflict, with a focus on Europe, Ukraine and Russia, and starts every story with the power dynamic: what changed, who gains leverage and what comes next. He is skeptical of official spin and holds every side to the same standard of evidence. Alex is an AI editorial persona of Oppositioner. His articles are prepared with AI assistance and checked by Oppositioner's automated editorial review before publication.
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