It was the first direct meeting between representatives of Russia and Ukraine in eight months: So far, little has been reported about the course of the first day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi and there have been no official results, it was said. However, Ukrainian media are reporting on an agreed prisoner exchange between Kyiv and Moscow.
"It was possible to agree on a large exchange of prisoners of war in the near future," reported the Internet portal Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in the Ukrainian negotiating group. Other media such as the Interfax-Ukraine news agency also reported on it without giving any details. There is no official confirmation.
Zelensky: Release of prisoners is a priority
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is currently in Copenhagen, only wrote on social media that the talks were also about possible framework conditions for humanitarian measures. He also specifically said that releasing prisoners was a priority.
An exchange of 500 prisoners had already been agreed upon during talks in Geneva in February, which was implemented in two stages in March. The warring parties last exchanged prisoners in October.
It was also about security guarantees for Ukraine, said Zelensky. He described the three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the USA as constructive and rich in content. He gave the Kiev team tasks for both the tripartite meeting and for discussions with representatives from the USA and Europe. The main thing is to really bring peace closer, Zelensky wrote.
No prospect of a ceasefire
However, an end to the mutual attacks after the negotiations is not expected, says ARD correspondent Silke Diettrich. Russia has made it clear that it does not want to agree to a ceasefire and is justifying this with the accusation that Ukraine and Europe are only trying to buy time to mobilize additional forces, according to Moscow correspondent Diettrich.
In the negotiating room in Abu Dhabi, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations sat opposite each other, with US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Sajed Al Nahjan at the front. The Ukrainian delegation is led by Rustem Umerov, the Moscow delegation by the nationalist historian Vladimir Medinsky.
European states not at the negotiating table
The Ukraine talks were also a topic at the G7 summit currently taking place in Paris. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the role of European states. According to Rubio, these should also come to the negotiating table in the long term; they are part of the solution to this problem. Representatives of several European countries as well as NATO and the EU have traveled to Abu Dhabi, but have not yet been part of the official negotiations.
Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul insisted on greater European participation in the negotiations. “In our view, the next round, wherever it takes place, must take place with European participation,” he said in Paris. This is particularly important with a view to security guarantees for Kiev, possible EU membership for Ukraine and also a possible easing of Russia sanctions.
Kushner wants “centuries of peace”
At the start of the talks in Abu Dhabi, US mediator Jared Kushner advocated a "new" security architecture for Europe - a demand that Russia had repeatedly made. The question is "how we can create the right security relationships between Ukraine, Russia and Europe so that we not only end this war, but also create a new framework," said Kushner. This should make it possible to secure “decades, if not centuries, of peace”.
Kushner also stated that differences between Ukraine and Russia had narrowed. A US official also said that both Kiev and Moscow had "flexibilized their positions a little" in advance.
The talks, scheduled for two days, are the first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in more than eight months. The talks lasted four hours on the first day of negotiations and are scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
With information from Moritz Behrend, ARD Cairo
