The war’s largest POW exchange is coming, Zelenskyy says after meeting Witkoff and Kushner. Russia won’t discuss sparing the grid

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine announced late on November 12 that the largest prisoner exchange in Russia's war was imminent, following a meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Ireland. The exchange, agreed in principle in Abu Dhabi the day prior, is the most concrete outcome of a week-long series of talks.

Zelenskyy said Russia continues its attacks along the front and has struck Ukraine's energy facilities over 310 times since the beginning of November. Moscow's demands on Europe's security have not shifted, and it refused to discuss sparing Ukraine's power grid. The size and date of the exchange are still under negotiation, with no official announcement yet.

The last major swap in May 2025 was 1,000 for 1,000, while earlier agreements promised far more. In June 2025, the sides agreed to all-for-all swaps involving the seriously wounded and soldiers aged 18 to 25. Ukraine's delegation at Abu Dhabi pushed for de-escalation in the Black Sea and a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure, but Russia's negotiators claimed no permission to discuss these issues. Zelenskyy stated that Russia remains angry and intends to keep striking.