Russia, Ukraine agree to largest prisoner swap; Europe to join next talks
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to their largest prisoner-of-war exchange of the war, U.S. envoys and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Dublin on Thursday, though no number or date was given. The envoys also said European negotiators will join the next round of peace talks.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
Russia has agreed to the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner said Thursday night. They spoke at Baldonnel Aerodrome near Dublin, where Zelenskyy was attending a European summit. "This is real result," Zelenskyy said. "These guys and our soldiers will come home."
Why it matters
A swap of this size would be the most concrete result yet from the latest U.S. push to end the war. Bringing European negotiators in could also ease concerns in Kyiv and European capitals that a deal would be shaped without them.
More context
What we know about the swap: Kushner said it would return "thousands of people to their families." Neither side gave a number or a date, the BBC reported. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed to the exchange during two days of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi that ended Wednesday, Reuters reported, and Kushner said the envoys were able to "finalise" it.
Europe at the table: Kushner said the U.S. "cannot conclude this deal without the Europeans being at the table," and that he pressed Vladimir Putin on it in Moscow earlier Thursday. "He's willing to give it a try," Kushner said. Zelenskyy said Europeans will have their own negotiating team in the next round. He has sought that for years, the BBC said.
Where the gaps remain: Putin said Thursday that Russia's position, including its demand for territory, has not changed, the BBC reported. He has also ruled out foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, TheJournal.ie reported. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told the BBC she doubted Russia was moving toward a peace deal. Hours before the envoys landed in Moscow, Russia and Ukraine traded drone and missile attacks on each other's capitals, Reuters reported.
Timeline: Tuesday and Wednesday, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators meet in Abu Dhabi and agree on a prisoner exchange. Thursday morning, Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow and meet Putin. Thursday evening, they fly to Ireland and meet Zelenskyy at Baldonnel. Next: a new round of talks with a European team, date not announced.
What remains unknown: How many prisoners will be freed, when and where the exchange will happen, who will represent Europe, and when the next round will be held. European Council President António Costa said Europe will ensure the "right person" is chosen.
4 listed sources
- BBC News (Harry Sekulich), Zelensky welcomes US bringing Europe into Russia-Ukraine peace talks, Nov. 12, 2026
- TheJournal.ie (Niall O'Connor, Sophie Finn), Zelenskyy hails 'real results' on prisoner of war exchange after meeting with Kushner and Witkoff, Nov. 12, 2026
- Reuters via ThePrint (Jekaterina Golubkova), Russia, Ukraine exchange attacks on capitals as US envoys land in Moscow, Nov. 12, 2026
- Anadolu Agency, Morning Briefing: Nov. 13, Nov. 13, 2026
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Neither side has said how many prisoners will be exchanged or when; "thousands" is Jared Kushner's description. Lead photo shows Ukrainian soldiers after an earlier exchange in September 2024, not this one.
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