Witkoff says Russia and Ukraine agree to exchange 314 prisoners of war

ISTANBUL

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war during trilateral talks in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday.

“Today, delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia agreed to exchange 314 prisoners—the first such exchange in five months,” Witkoff wrote on US social media company X.

It was not immediately clear if 314 is the total number, or the number of prisoners to be released by each side.

Russia and Ukraine last conducted a prisoner exchange on Oct. 2, 2025, as part of deals reached in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, which hosted three rounds of direct peace talks earlier that year.

Commenting on the US-mediated talks, Witkoff said the negotiations have been “detailed and productive.”

“While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine,” he added.

He said discussions will continue, with “additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks,” and thanked the UAE for hosting the consultations, as well as US President Donald Trump for “his leadership in making this agreement possible.”

Day two of a second round of talks between delegations from Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington began in Abu Dhabi earlier Thursday.

An initial two days of consultations were held on Jan. 23-24, also in Abu Dhabi.