Kushner to visit Putin after Abu Dhabi talks yield prisoner swap

U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, confirmed Wednesday that American envoys will travel to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin following two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The meeting in the United Arab Emirates concluded without a formal peace agreement, but both sides agreed to finalize the largest prisoner exchange since the invasion began.

The talks marked the first face-to-face contact between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in nine months. Kushner stated the planned swap involves a significant number of prisoners, with final figures to be determined the next day. Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation, described the agreement as being in principle. Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian contingent, also confirmed the plan. Alexander Zorin, a deputy chief of the General Staff's information department, told Russian state television that the exchange could occur within two or three weeks. He noted this would be one of the largest swaps since 1,000 soldiers returned home last year.

Despite progress on humanitarian issues, major political hurdles remain. The primary points of contention include the status of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and the scope of postwar security guarantees. European nations were excluded from the direct three-way talks in Abu Dhabi. Umerov said the Ukrainian delegation would meet separately with representatives from the European Union and NATO later that day. Kushner said a goal of the upcoming Moscow visit is to persuade the Kremlin to include European partners in the negotiation process.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need for European representation in diplomacy. He posted on X that Ukraine's priority is ending the war with a dignified peace and that Europe must be present at every stage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested European representatives could join eventually but criticized their current statements for not showing a desire to contribute to peace. The Kremlin often complains that Europe finances and supplies weapons to Ukraine.

Kushner acknowledged that trust between the sides is low. He said the reality of the conflict makes that expectation natural. However, he posted later that the prisoner exchange would reunite families and create momentum toward peace. Both delegations discussed Russia's security concerns. Kushner added that Moscow was told it needs to provide de-escalation proposals that are acceptable to European nations.

The political context for these negotiations has shifted since the last meeting in Geneva in February. The Trump administration now faces a U.S. Congress where Democrats are expected to take control in January following midterm elections. Lawmakers may demand increased support for Ukraine. Additionally, Russia's wartime economy is under strain, and Ukraine is recovering from extensive aerial attacks on its power infrastructure.

Fighting continues on the front lines, where territorial changes have been minimal this year. Both countries are using long-range missiles and drones. Local authorities in the southern Odesa region reported three deaths and 11 injuries after Russia launched a daytime attack on a market. Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration, said residential buildings were damaged.

Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes overnight targeted the Zaporizhzhia region and the eastern city of Kharkiv. Seven civilians were wounded, and property was damaged. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it downed 627 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 150 over the St. Petersburg region. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that the drones started a fire at the port of Ust-Luga, a major facility for Russian oil exports, injuring three workers.

A separate incident involves a 49-year-old Indonesian man reportedly captured in the Zaporizhzhia region. The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv is seeking access to him, according to Yvonne Mewengkang, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The man told Ukrainian authorities he signed what he believed was a one-year construction contract in Moscow. He was later taken to occupied Donetsk and then to Zaporizhzhia, where his unit was attacked. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian officials provided immediate comment on his case.