Meanwhile, the Kremlin-affiliated media outlets revealed that Moscow’s key demand is not only full Russian control over Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but also official recognition of Donbas as Russian territory by all sides, including Ukraine.
Ukrainian, Russian and US delegations entered a second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi on Thursday after agreeing to exchange 314 prisoners of war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday that during the first day of talks in the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and Russia finalised a prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange, calling it a "significant" result.
"There will also be a significant step: we expect an exchange of prisoners of war in the near future. The prisoners must be returned home," Zelenskyy said after being briefed on the discussion.
Previous Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul in spring and summer 2025 also resulted in a handfull of POW exchange rounds.
The last exchange with Moscow was held on 2 October. However, since then Kyiv said that Russia halted the process, with Ukraine's president stating Moscow did because it "does not feel that it gives them anything."
