--- title: "Umerov: Abu Dhabi talks result in agreement on major prisoner exchange" description: "Following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, Ukraine, the US, and Russia have agreed on a major prisoner exchange. Umerov: disagreements remain, but paths to continue the process exist." date: 2026-11-11T14:39:16.509Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/umerov-abu-dhabi-talks-prisoner-exchange tags: [ukraine-war, abu-dabi-talks, prisoner-exchange, rustem-umerov, marco-rubio, peace-negotiations, russia-usa-ukraine] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Umerov: Abu Dhabi talks result in agreement on major prisoner exchange ![Rustem Umerov in military uniform giving comments at a press conference](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/11/umerov-rezultat-peregovorov-abu-dabi-obmen-plennymi/umerov-rezultat-peregovorov-abu-dabi-obmen-plennymi-1.webp) ## Key Points - Ukraine, the US, and Russia have agreed on a major prisoner-of-war exchange following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi - Umerov: exchange details are being coordinated; return of Ukrainians remains a state priority - Issues of ending the war, security guarantees, and post-war reconstruction were discussed - Significant disagreements remain, but parties confirm the possibility of continuing negotiations - Rubio called the talks productive but cautioned against excessive optimism and urged European participation The two-day trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia in Abu Dhabi, focused on ending the war, have concluded with a key agreement: the parties have finalized terms for a major prisoner-of-war exchange. This was announced on his Telegram channel by the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, while summarizing the second day of negotiations, which began on the morning of November 11. ### Prisoner exchange as the first practical result According to Umerov, the main achievement of the trilateral meetings was the agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange. "We are currently working on coordinating the details and practical implementation," he clarified. The official emphasized that the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war home remains one of the state's top priorities. Thus, the exchange of hostages and POWs has become the first concrete step recorded in the aftermath of the negotiations, although its logistics and volume are not yet being publicly disclosed. ### Agenda: Peace, security guarantees, and post-war reconstruction The Ukraine-US-Russia trilateral format also discussed issues regarding achieving peace and post-war reconstruction. Umerov recalled that the first step toward peace must be the cessation of hostilities and the provision of security guarantees for Ukraine. By his assessment, over the two days, the parties were able to directly set out their positions; however, significant disagreements on a number of key issues remain. "There is still a lot of difficult work ahead, but opportunities for continuing the negotiation process exist," the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service assured. ### Format and progress of negotiations The first day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi ended after more than four hours of work. The second day began on the morning of November 11. According to several reports, European representatives were not present in the trilateral format; after the conclusion of the meeting with the American and Russian delegations, the Ukrainian side held a separate discussion with European partners. The negotiations were conducted in Russian, which, according to reports, was noted by observers. ### Washington's position: Productivity without excessive optimism US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the talks "very productive" but cautioned against excessive optimism regarding the timing of reaching a final agreement. Rubio also stressed that in the future, European representatives should be present at the negotiating table, as their participation is deemed necessary for the sustainability of any potential peace settlement. ### What comes next At the current moment, the parties confirm their intention to continue the negotiation process. The details of the prisoner exchange — the number of participants, conditions, locations, and timelines — are currently being negotiated. Experts note that cementing even one practical step against the backdrop of persistent significant disagreements over security and territorial status could become a precedent for further de-escalation, although the path to a full peace agreement, according to all parties, remains long. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Умеров назвал результат переговоров в Абу-Даби: возможности для продолжения процесса есть](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/umerov-nazvav-rezultat-peregovoriv-abu-dabi-1794403664.html) - Primary source. Umerov's Telegram statement: agreement on a large prisoner exchange, work on details, discussion of peace and reconstruction, significant disagreements, opportunities for continuation. First day: over 4 hours. Rubio: productive but no optimism, Europeans should be at the table. - [Умеров назвал главный результат переговоров в Абу-Даби](https://gordonua.com/section-war/news-umyerov-nazvav-holovnyy-rezultat-perehovoriv-v-abu-dabi-11-11-2026.html) - Confirms the agreement on a major POW exchange following two days of talks. - ["Работаем над согласованием деталей": Умеров назвал главный результат мирных переговоров в Абу ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/section-politics-news/news-pratsyuyemo-nad-uzhodzhennyam-detaley-umyerov-nazvav-holovnyy-rezultat-myrnykh-peremovyn-v-abu-dabi-11-11-2026.html) - Confirms Umerov's statement at a press conference and on Telegram. Indicates the role of the head of the negotiating team. - [Европейцев не было, говорили на русском языке. Подробности переговоров России, США и Украины в ...](https://www.belnovosti.by/politika/evropeycev-ne-bylo-govorili-na-russkom-yazyke-podrobnosti-peregovorov-rossii-ssha-i) - Clarifies: talks lasted 4.5 hours, Europeans were not present in the trilateral format, language used was Russian. Confirms agreement on prisoner exchange, discussion of security guarantees and de-escalation. ## FAQ ### What is the main result of the Abu Dhabi talks? According to the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, the main result of the two-day trilateral negotiations was an agreement to conduct a major prisoner-of-war exchange. Details and practical implementation are currently being coordinated. ### Who participated in the Abu Dhabi talks? Delegations from Ukraine, the US, and Russia participated in the trilateral format. European representatives were not present at the trilateral meetings; after their conclusion, the Ukrainian delegation held a separate conversation with European partners. ### What issues were discussed besides the prisoner exchange? The trilateral format discussed issues of achieving peace, ending hostilities, providing security guarantees for Ukraine, and post-war reconstruction. By Umerov's assessment, significant disagreements on a number of issues remain. ### What did US Secretary of State Marco Rubio state? Rubio called the talks "very productive" but cautioned against excessive optimism regarding timelines. He also emphasized that in the future, European representatives should be present at the negotiating table. ### How long did the negotiations last? The first day of negotiations concluded after more than four hours of work. According to various media, the total duration of the trilateral meeting was about 4.5 hours. The second day began on the morning of November 11, 2026.