In a nightly address, Zelensky said on Thursday that Ukraine’s negotiating team had returned from two days of talks in the United Arab Emirates and was set to give him a full briefing in Kyiv.
“From what can already be said, further meetings are planned soon—possibly in America,” he said.
Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s openness to any format that brings peace closer and ensures it is "credible, lasting, and one that deprives Russia of any appetite for further war."
He added: "It’s important that this war ends in a way that does not reward Russia for aggression."
Ukraine's chief peace negotiator Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s delegation, said the parties reached an agreement on a prisoner exchange and discussed ceasefire mechanisms and war monitoring.
"The discussions were constructive and focused on how to create the conditions for a durable peace,” Umerov wrote on social media.
He said both sides agreed to release 157 prisoners each — the first such exchange in five months. The exchange took place on Thursday.
Umerov said delegations would report back to their governments and continue talks in the coming weeks.
He also thanked the United Arab Emirates for hosting and expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump "for his leadership in advancing an end to the war."
The Ukrainian delegation included presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov, his deputy Serhiy Kyslytsia, ruling party leader Davyd Arakhamia, military chief Gen. Andriy Hnatov, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff wrote on X that the talks were "detailed and productive."
"Discussions will continue, with additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks," he added.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP