US envoy Steve Witkoff signaled potential progress in negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, saying discussions remain ongoing following a large prisoner exchange agreed during recent talks involving Washington, Kyiv and Moscow.
In a post on X, Witkoff said Ukraine and Russia carried out another prisoner swap this week that saw 1,000 individuals returned, describing the exchange as the result of discussions held during trilateral negotiations in Geneva with the United States.
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“This exchange was achieved thanks to sustained and detailed peace discussions at the direction of President Donald J. Trump,” Witkoff wrote.
“Under the President’s leadership, we continue to achieve meaningful outcomes while working towards formulating a peace deal that will end the war once and for all.”
Witkoff added that talks are continuing and suggested additional developments could follow in the coming weeks.
“Discussions remain ongoing, with additional progress anticipated in the weeks ahead,” he said.
He also thanked Switzerland for hosting the talks and credited Trump’s leadership for advancing diplomatic efforts.
Prisoner exchange linked to negotiations
The exchange of prisoners was described by Witkoff as one tangible outcome of the negotiations, which he said followed agreements reached during the Geneva discussions involving representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the US.
Large prisoner swaps have been one of the few areas where Kyiv and Moscow have maintained limited cooperation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Such exchanges have often been mediated through international partners and humanitarian channels.
Diplomatic activity intensifies
Witkoff’s remarks come amid increased diplomatic activity aimed at ending the war.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine is one of his administration’s key foreign policy priorities.
At the same time, Trump has publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing him as an obstacle to a peace agreement.
Reports have also suggested that negotiations planned in Abu Dhabi were put into doubt because of disagreements over Kyiv’s position in the talks.
