Negoziati ad Abu Dhabi: accord per un ampio scambio di prigionieri, territori ancora contesi
Il secondo giorno dei negoziati fra Ucraina, Stati Uniti e Russia ad Abu Dhabi si è chiuso con un accordo per preparare un ampio scambio di prigionieri di guerra. Restano però sostanziali divergenze, soprattutto sui territori: l'Ucraina ha respinto la proposta di rivedere i confini amministrativi di Donetsk e Lugansk e ha ribadito la necessità del pieno coinvolgimento europeo.
Punti chiave
- L'11 novembre si è concluso ad Abu Dhabi il secondo giorno dei negoziati fra Ucraina, Stati Uniti e Russia.
- Il principale risultato del round è stata la domowленість di preparare un ampio scambio di prigionieri di guerra.
- Volodymyr Zelensky ha indicato formati di 1.000 per 1.000 o 1.500 per 1.500, precisando in seguito che lo scambio potrebbe riguardare fino a 1.200 persone.
- Gli americani hanno proposto di modificare i confini di Donetsk e Lugansk, пропозицію respinta dall'Ucraina.
- I rappresentanti di NATO, Commissione europea, Regno Unito, Germania, Francia e Italia hanno partecipato a una riunione separata senza la Russia.
- Steve Witkoff e Jared Kushner dovevano incontrare Vladimir Putin a Mosca il 12 novembre e poi Zelensky a Dublino.
Perché è importante
La preparazione di un ampio scambio di prigionieri è il головний практичний результат di un round che ha mantenuto aperto канал дипломатичного. L'operazione promises to be substantially larger than previous exchanges, though its exact scale and timing have not been set. At the same time, territorial issues and Russia's broader security demands remain major obstacles, and Ukraine's rejection of border revisions means no agreement on the most difficult questions has been reached. The talks have nevertheless created additional diplomatic opportunities, with participants pointing to possible progress in early 2027.
Che cosa è successo
The negotiations in Abu Dhabi lasted two days and involved delegations from Ukraine, the United States and Russia. The Ukrainian side was represented by Rustem Umierov, Kyrylo Budanov, Davyd Arakhamia, Serhii Kyslytsia and Vadym Skibitskyi. The Russian delegation was led by Volodymyr Medinsky and for the first time included Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Rybkov. The United States was represented by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the first day, 10 November, the participants talked for 4.5 hours including a 40-minute pause, discussing security guarantees, Moscow's demands and Ukraine's future after the war. On 11 November, the second day lasted approximately an hour and a half, making it the shortest round of 2026. The main outcome was an agreement to prepare a major prisoner exchange. The sides did not publish the number of prisoners to be exchanged, and no specific date was agreed. Separately in Abu Dhabi, Ukrainian and US delegations met with representatives of NATO, the European Commission, Britain, Germany, France and Italy without Russian participation. Those participants said any future agreements must respect Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to take its own decisions, and must provide reliable security guarantees.
Come la raccontano le fonti ucraine
Ukrainian coverage presents the preparation of a large prisoner exchange as the principal positive result of the talks. Ukrainian officials simultaneously stress that substantial differences remain, that Kyiv rejected proposals to revise the administrative borders of Donetsk and Lugansk, and that reliable security guarantees and territorial integrity are indispensable. A Ukrainian source close to the talks said the Ukrainian delegation never discussed conceding the territories occupied by Russia. Kyiv also insists on full European participation and called on European countries to appoint a joint representative for negotiations with Russia in November.
Come la raccontano le fonti internazionali
International reporting focuses on the diplomatic sequence connecting Abu Dhabi with the planned meetings in Moscow and Dublin, on the participation of European and NATO representatives, and on proposals concerning security guarantees, territories and a possible prisoner exchange. The claim that Vladimir Putin proposed exchanging Ukraine for Iran is presented as an expert assessment by Mohammad Farajallah, not as an established negotiating proposal. Another reported element concerns Iran offering Russia a military base in the Persian Gulf.
Dove le versioni divergono
The sides acknowledged significant gaps, especially over territories. The United States proposed revising the administrative borders of Donetsk and Lugansk so that Russia could formally claim full control without a physical handover of Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine rejected the idea and said occupied territories were never discussed as a concession. There was also disagreement on sequencing: Russia wanted a comprehensive European security arrangement included in any ceasefire agreement, while European officials considered broader security questions premature before hostilities end. The size of the prisoner exchange was described inconsistently: the agreement announced no total, Zelensky discussed 1.000-for-1.000 and 1.500-for-1.500 formats and later mentioned up to 1.200 prisoners.
Contesto
Russia sought a comprehensive agreement on European security, a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from parts of the east still under Ukrainian control, and reductions in NATO's presence in Eastern Europe. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Moscow was trying to focus the talks on substantive changes to the European security architecture, effectively reproducing the 2021 ultimatums on reducing NATO's presence in Europe. European countries had not yet agreed on a joint representative for negotiations with Russia.