Ukraine and Russia Talks Set to Continue After Zelenskyy Calls Opening Day Constructive

Ukraine and Russia were scheduled to continue US mediated talks in Abu Dhabi on November 11 after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the opening session on November 10 as “constructive and quite substantive.” A reported prisoner exchange agreement marked a limited outcome, with no announced ceasefire or comprehensive peace settlement.

According to The Associated Press , the roughly four hour meeting was the first trilateral session since February. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner mediated for the United States. Zelenskyy did not attend personally.

Prisoner Exchange Awaits Details

A large prisoner exchange was agreed in principle for the near future, according to sources close to Ukraine’s delegation cited by Ukrainska Pravda and Interfax Ukraine. The reports provided neither a prisoner count nor a firm date. The exchange had not been reported as completed.

Zelenskyy said negotiators also discussed humanitarian measures, lasting security guarantees and possible steps to reduce hostilities. Those remained discussion topics rather than finalized agreements.

Ceasefire and Security Terms Remain Disputed

According to AP reporting, Ukraine favors an immediate ceasefire followed by negotiations. Russia rejects a general pause before a comprehensive settlement, arguing that Ukraine would use it to rearm.

Their territorial positions also remain opposed. Moscow demands Ukrainian withdrawals from areas within the four regions it claims, including territory Russian forces have not captured. Kyiv rejects surrendering additional land and supports stopping fighting along existing positions. Freezing those positions would not itself establish legal recognition of Russian sovereignty.

Security guarantees present another obstacle. According to AP reporting carried by ABC News , Ukraine wants commitments specifying how partners would respond to another Russian attack. Russia rejects proposed European troop deployments and seeks restrictions on Ukraine’s military alignment.

On November 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also called for a broader European security framework to be defined before resolving the conflict’s specifics, that report said.

The scheduled second day follows limited humanitarian progress, not an agreed framework for peace. Implementation details for the reported prisoner exchange and any further announced agreements remain the immediate developments to watch.