Zelensky hails ‘real result’ as prisoner exchange with Russia secured

Detailed summary

The Ukrainian president also hailed progress on Europe joining negotiations with Russia and the US.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the agreement for a prisoner exchange with Russia as a “real result”.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner described “very intense” talks with Russia and its president Vladimir Putin in recent days, and pledged to work hard to reach US President Donald Trump’s goal of ending the war.

They were involved in discussions which lasted almost an hour at Baldonnel Aerodrome, on the outskirts of Dublin, amid a heavy security presence.

Mr Zelensky said there will be “the biggest exchange of war prisoners”, adding: “Our soldiers will come home.”

“I’m very thankful to all our negotiators. This is a real result, this is very important and successful for the families and to all of us that people will come home to their families,” he said, and also welcomed progress to include European representatives will be at negotiations next week.

He added: “They will have a voice. This is important for us because the war is in Europe”.

Mr Kushner described “very intense” negotiations involving Russia in Abu Dhabi, with many hours of meetings at night and in the morning.

He also said they had had a “very detailed and productive” meeting with Mr Putin and his negotiating team.

“We were able to finalise on the prisoner of war exchange, which is a very important thing. A lot of people are being impacted by this war, and to return these thousands of people to their families I think will be a very nice milestone to achieve,” he said.

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