---
title: "Budanov: Ukraine to Focus on Humanitarian Track and Prisoner Swaps at Abu Dhabi Talks"
description: "Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov stated that Ukraine will focus on the humanitarian track and prisoner swaps at the Abu Dhabi talks. According to the NYT, meetings will resume on November 10 without discussing a ceasefire."
date: 2026-11-09T18:10:08.660Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/budanov-abu-dabi-humanitarian-track-prisoner-swaps
tags: [ukraine, abu-dhabi-talks, prisoner-exchange, budanov, us-russia-ukraine, humanitarian-track]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Budanov: Ukraine to Focus on Humanitarian Track and Prisoner Swaps at Abu Dhabi Talks

![Kyrylo Budanov in a black tactical jacket commenting on the Abu Dhabi talks](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/09/budanov-abu-dabi-gumanitarnyj-tek-obmenny-plennymy/budanov-abu-dabi-gumanitarnyj-tek-obmenny-plennymy-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The Ukrainian delegation, featuring Budanov, is heading to Abu Dhabi for talks involving the US and Russia.
- Ukraine's main priority will be the humanitarian track and the intensification of prisoner swaps.
- According to the NYT, negotiations will resume on November 10, but the ceasefire issue will not be discussed.
- Prior to the talks, the US will hold a separate meeting with NATO, the EU, and Ukraine on post-war security architecture.

The Ukrainian delegation heading to Abu Dhabi to participate in multilateral talks involving the US and Russia intends to make the humanitarian track the top priority of the agenda. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov, who will be part of the Ukrainian delegation. According to him, the key signal is that the diplomatic process is not stopping and continues to develop despite the complexity of the situation. Budanov emphasized that Ukraine «wants the end of the war as soon as possible more than anyone else» and counts on a constructive dialogue with partners.

### Humanitarian Track and Prisoner Swaps

The central element of Ukraine's position at the upcoming meetings will be, according to Budanov, precisely the humanitarian direction. He explicitly pointed out the necessity to intensify prisoner exchanges and stated his expectation that the dialogue in the UAE will yield practical results, allowing agreement on subsequent stages of returning Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians home. Thus, Kyiv is trying to move negotiations from the plane of declarations to the plane of concrete, measurable mechanisms that can be implemented in the near future.

### Role of the US and Gratitude to Mediators

Separately, Budanov thanked US Presidential Special Envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for their «personal efforts in the negotiation process». This confirms that Washington is acting not merely as an observer, but as an active architect of the format in which Ukraine and Russia are once again sitting down at the negotiating table. Kyiv's recognition of the role of American mediators indicates that the Ukrainian side perceives the diplomatic channel through the US as working and ready for continuation.

### Format, Dates, and Agenda Boundaries

According to The New York Times, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia mediated by the US are scheduled to resume on November 10 in Abu Dhabi, while the issue of a ceasefire will not be on the agenda. This means that the first meeting will be of a more preparatory and framework nature, with key security issues postponed. Additionally, as Jared Kushner reported, prior to the start of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the US is gathering NATO partners, as well as EU and Ukrainian representatives, for a separate meeting to discuss the post-war security architecture.

### Expectations of Practical Results

The totality of statements allows for the conclusion that the Ukrainian side is approaching the Abu Dhabi format with a pragmatic mindset: to obtain not political formulations, but working mechanisms for the humanitarian track and a clear security roadmap. At the same time, the absence of ceasefire discussions in the first session and the parallel summit on post-conflict architecture show that the process is structured as multi-layered: humanitarian steps go hand in hand with building long-term security guarantees with the participation of the US, EU, and NATO.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Украина уделит большое внимание на переговорах в Абу-Даби обменам пленными, - Буданов](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-pridilit-veliku-uvagu-peregovorah-1794247072.html) - Primary source: Budanov's statement on the humanitarian track, prisoner swaps, gratitude to Kushner and Witkoff; for reference — NYT data on the November 10 date and the absence of a ceasefire on the agenda, as well as Kushner's statement on a separate NATO/EU/Ukraine meeting.

## FAQ

### When and where will the negotiations resume?

According to The New York Times, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia mediated by the US are set to resume on November 10 in Abu Dhabi.

### Will a ceasefire be discussed?

No, according to the NYT, the ceasefire issue will not be included in the agenda of the first session; Ukraine will focus on the humanitarian track and prisoner swaps.

### Who else is involved in preparing the format?

According to Jared Kushner, prior to the negotiations, the US is gathering NATO partners, EU representatives, and Ukraine for a separate meeting to discuss the post-war security architecture.