Trilateral talks on Ukraine crisis conclude in Abu Dhabi

Two days of trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine wrapped up in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday – the first time the three countries have met since February. 

Speaking at a press briefing after the talks, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, confirmed Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange, and that negotiations would continue.

Medinsky said a future European security framework was the central theme, with a mutual understanding reached on the issue.

Russia has raised the need for a European security system following the end of the conflict in Ukraine on more than one occasion, he stressed.

The Russian delegation did not have contact with European representatives in Abu Dhabi and had not received any peace proposals from the European side, Medinsky added.

A Ukrainian negotiator described "good momentum" toward resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict before the end of the year, but argued that follow-up talks should be multilateral rather than trilateral.

Next, US envoys Jared ‌Kushner ⁠and Steve Witkoff are set to travel ‌to Moscow ‌on ‌Thursday, before meeting ⁠Ukrainian President ‌Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin.

Kushner, US ⁠President ⁠Donald ​Trump's ​son-in-law, ‌called the ⁠Abu Dhabi talks a "first good step."

(With input from agencies)