Ukraine and Russia have conducted a rare exchange of prisoners of war and civilians after two days of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
A total of 157 Ukrainians - seven of them civilians - and 157 Russian soldiers were returned home in the first such swap in four months.
Russian, Ukrainian, and US teams took part in the talks in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with the main sticking points believed to be territorial concessions Ukraine is under pressure to make and security guarantees for it to prevent further Russian attacks if a deal is agreed to end the four-year war.
No breakthrough has been reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks had not been easy and he wanted faster results.
In a post on social media, Zelensky wrote that Thursday's prisoner exchange took place after a long pause - referring to the previous such swap last October. We are returning our people home - 157 Ukrainians. Soldiers of the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Service. And civilians are also returning with the defenders. Most have been in captivity since 2012, the Ukrainian president said, pledging to bring back every single Ukrainian still in Russian captivity.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry noted that 157 of its POWs were returned by Kyiv, including three Russian civilians who were allegedly held illegally.
The trilateral talks held recently are part of US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war, aiming to address the complex issues surrounding territory and security guarantees if Ukraine agrees to concessions.
The situation remains critical as Russia continues its military operations, targeting Ukraine's energy sector, leaving many without electricity and heating amid harsh winter conditions.
