The United States and Russia have agreed to resume high-level military-to-military dialogue, reopening a key communication channel that had been suspended since late 2021, just before the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict. US President Donald Trump has been seen as more accommodating to his Russian counterpart than his predecessors.
In a statement on Thursday, February 5, U.S. European Command said the decision followed what it described as “productive and constructive progress” toward President Donald Trump’s goal of achieving peace in Ukraine.
The progress was attributed to diplomatic efforts led over the past week by Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The agreement was reached during meetings in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, involving General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Commander of U.S. European Command, alongside senior Russian and Ukrainian military officials.
U.S. and Russia to reestablish high-level military-to-military dialogue
According to the statement, maintaining open communication between military forces is considered vital for global stability and peace. It helps improve transparency, reduce tensions, and prevent unintended escalation.
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The restored channel will provide consistent military-to-military contact as parties continue working toward a lasting resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
“Gen. Grynkewich also has existing authorities in his role as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, to maintain military-to-military dialogue with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, to avoid miscalculation and to provide a means for avoiding unintended escalation by either side.”
The U.S. European Command said General Grynkewich is prepared to initiate the renewed high-level dialogue.
This diplomatic breakthrough comes as negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States concluded in Abu Dhabi on Thursday following what officials described as meaningful progress.
Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the peace process had moved forward despite resistance from some European actors.
“The warmongers from Europe, from Britain, are constantly trying to interfere with this process, constantly trying to meddle in it. And the more such attempts there are, the more we see that progress is definitely being made,” Dmitriev told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency.
Talks reportedly covered economic arrangements, territorial issues and a potential cease-fire mechanism.
On his part, Ukraine’s lead negotiator and National Security and Defense Council head Rustem Umerov described the negotiations as “substantive and productive, focused on concrete steps and practical solutions.”
Prisoner swap
One of the first tangible outcomes of the negotiations was a major prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv — the first since September. Special Envoy Witkoff announced that the talks produced a deal to exchange 314 prisoners.
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Following his announcement, Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the release of 157 Russian servicemen and three civilians, while Ukraine said around 150 soldiers and seven civilians were freed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, acknowledged the challenges of the negotiations. “It is certainly not easy, but Ukraine has been and will remain as constructive as possible. We want faster results,” he said.
He later added, “Let’s continue working to free our people from captivity. We must return and will definitely return everyone.”
Meanwhile, the European Council has granted legal clearance for a $105 billion Ukraine Support Loan to sustain Kyiv’s budget and defense needs through 2027.
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