Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said Kyiv wants faster results from trilateral talks with the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi, as the war triggered by Moscow’s invasion enters
its fourth year.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine hoped to see quicker progress towards ending the conflict.
“It is certainly not easy, but Ukraine has been and will remain as constructive as possible,” he told a press conference in Kyiv alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “We want faster results.”
Ukraine and Russia concluded the second day of US-brokered negotiations on Thursday. “The negotiations have concluded,” Diana Davitian, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov, told journalists, without giving further details.
The remarks came as Moscow and Kyiv carried out their first prisoner exchange in months, with each side releasing at least 157 people. The swap, mediated by the United States and the United Arab Emirates, was the first since October.
“Today’s exchange came after a long pause, and it is critical that we were able to make it happen. I thank everyone who works to make these exchanges possible,” Zelenskyy said.
He posted images showing the released prisoners wrapped in Ukrainian flags and smiling amid falling snow.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that among the 157 Ukrainians freed were seven civilians and others who had been “unlawfully convicted” by Russian authorities.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, said 19 of those released had been illegally sentenced by Russia, including 15 who had received life imprisonment.
Russia confirmed that 157 Ukrainian soldiers had been handed over in exchange for 157 Russian servicemen. Moscow said the United States and the United Arab Emirates had acted as mediators in the process
“In addition, three Russian citizens, residents of the Kursk region, will be returned home,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
