US Envoys Begin Preparing Largest Prisoner Swap of War, White House Says
Special US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have begun preparing for what could become the largest prisoner exchange since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly announced on Friday, Nov. 13. The initiative follows a second round of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi and separate meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and…
White House officials have revealed plans for the largest prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia since the onset of the ongoing conflict, following successful trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, working under President Trump's direction, have been leading the efforts to secure this significant prisoner swap.
On November 13, Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly announced the initiative, stating that the envoys have been in constant consultation with both parties to bring an end to the war. This week's talks in Abu Dhabi yielded a framework agreement for the exchange, even though territorial disputes remain unresolved. Earlier this month, Witkoff and Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where Putin reiterated his stance against foreign troops in Ukraine and proposed a humanitarian mission to Kostiantynivka.
However, Ukrainian officials rejected the idea, accusing Moscow of using humanitarian operations in Oleshky to move troops and military equipment. The last prisoner exchange occurred on October 23, when Ukraine returned 270 individuals, comprising nine civilians and five survivors of the July 2022 Russian attack on the Olenivka prison.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
