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Europe Today: Ukraine talks yield prisoner swap as European leaders meet in Dublin
European leaders gather in Dublin for the European Political Community summit after two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi produced a prisoner exchange but no ceasefire. US envoys head to Moscow, then to Zelenskyy. We also hear from the EU justice chief Michael McGrath and look at COP31.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/11/12/europe-today-ukraine-talks-yield-prisoner-swap-as-european-leaders-meet-in-dublin
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
European leaders gather in Dublin for the European Political Community summit after two days of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi produced a prisoner exchange but no ceasefire. US envoys head to Moscow, then to Zelenskyy. We also hear from the EU justice chief Michael McGrath and look at COP31.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/11/12/europe-today-ukraine-talks-yield-prisoner-swap-as-european-leaders-meet-in-dublin
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
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NewsTranscript
00:14Good morning, it's Thursday, November 12th.
00:17You're watching Euronews, and this is Europe Today.
00:21Our top stories.
00:23A large-scale prisoner exchange emerged as the only tangible result
00:27of two days of U.S.-mediated talks between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi
00:32with no breakthrough on a ceasefire or territorial disputes.
00:36U.S. envoy Kushner announced the agreement,
00:38saying the final number of prisoners to be exchanged
00:40would be determined later today.
00:43Kushner traveled to Moscow today to meet Russian President Putin
00:46before heading to Dublin for talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
00:51At least 300 schools were evacuated across Italy
00:55after receiving bomb alerts by email.
00:57The email also contained an explicit threat
01:00directed towards Italian Prime Minister Maloney.
01:03Authorities undertook security checks
01:05to guarantee the safety of students, teachers and school staff.
01:09Meanwhile, Iran rejected French accusations
01:13that it was responsible for cyber attacks
01:15on supermarket fridges last month as baseless.
01:19Tehran blamed the French government for the incident.
01:22And more than 60% of women serving in Germany's armed forces,
01:28the Bundeswehr, have experienced sexual misconduct
01:31ranging from lewd remarks to physical harassment.
01:34That's according to a shocking new study
01:36presented by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius,
01:40revealing up to five times more cases than previously reported.
01:44Some now fear the report could deter women
01:47from applying to join the armed forces.
01:49Pistorius announced a zero-tolerance policy
01:53towards potential offenders.
01:55Welcome to the program.
01:57I'm Stefan Grober.
01:58Two days of U.S.-mediated peace talks
02:01between Ukraine and Russia have concluded in Abu Dhabi
02:04with an agreement in principle on a major prisoner exchange,
02:08but no breakthrough on a ceasefire or territorial disputes.
02:12U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner
02:15are now in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin
02:18before further discussions with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ireland.
02:23For more on this, Sasha Vakulina joins me now in the studio,
02:27our Ukraine correspondent.
02:29Good morning, Sasha.
02:30So, after two days of negotiations in Abu Dhabi,
02:34what has actually been achieved?
02:35And are we any closer to an end of this war?
02:39Not yet.
02:40What was achieved also is the,
02:42I think the bigger picture,
02:43is the renewal of the diplomatic process.
02:45It's nine months after this long break since this February.
02:48So, that is a positive sign.
02:50And then, of course, the prisoners of war exchange,
02:52as you mentioned.
02:53We are waiting to hear more information
02:54from Witkoff and Kushner
02:56after their meeting with Putin
02:58regarding how many people are going to be included
03:01in that POW swap.
03:03Just to give you an example,
03:04last time that happened,
03:06each side swapped 1,000 prisoners of war.
03:09So, I think we are looking at a similar situation now.
03:12About 1,000, 1,500 prisoners of war
03:15are going to be swapped from each side.
03:17Now, unfortunately, nothing,
03:19no breakthrough on any sort of a ceasefire,
03:22any shape or form,
03:23like the energy ceasefire.
03:24That's not happening.
03:25And also, nothing, no news
03:26regarding the territorial concession,
03:28which, of course,
03:29remains the most complicated issue
03:32and also the one that requires the leaders' meeting.
03:35And Toby Gregory, who was in Abu Dhabi,
03:39asked U.S. envoys about
03:40when would be the moment
03:42for Zelensky and Putin to meet.
03:44And this is what Jared Kushner said.
03:46So, I think it'd be great
03:48if they did that at any time.
03:50I think that that would be a good thing.
03:51But I think that what,
03:54again, just to be transparent,
03:55I think what the Russians have said
03:56is they'd like to see more progress made
03:58before that happens.
03:59I think that clearly there's not,
04:01you know, great trust
04:02or love between the leaders.
04:04So, I think that if we can find
04:06a pathway to a range,
04:08and I will say this too,
04:09you know, these deals do take time.
04:10These are hard.
04:13And so, one of the central issues
04:15in these negotiations
04:16was Europe's involvement.
04:19Is there anything that has changed
04:21and will they get a seat at the table?
04:25Probably.
04:25The question is when would that happen?
04:27Because are they now closer
04:29than they used to be?
04:30Yes, but they're still not at the table.
04:32The Europeans did have
04:33separate consultations
04:34with Kyiv
04:36and with the U.S.
04:37one voice.
04:38The Moscow representatives
04:39still refused to sit down with them.
04:41There was this statement
04:42coming from Moscow
04:43that they don't know
04:44why the Europeans are there.
04:46They can stay in the hotel.
04:47That's a quote from the foreign minister.
04:48So, Europeans are getting closer,
04:50but the Kremlin
04:51is still very much against it.
04:53Now, Jared Kushner said
04:54that Washington repeatedly
04:56told Putin and his team
04:57that European involvement
04:58was essential
04:59to any sort of an agreement.
05:01And this is also the reason,
05:03the reason why
05:04Witkow and Kushner
05:06landed already in Moscow
05:07to ask for that agreement,
05:10to ask Putin
05:11to allow the Europeans
05:12at the table
05:13or how Kushner put it,
05:14to ask for his blessing
05:15to do so.
05:18We've relayed
05:18to President Putin
05:19directly several times
05:21and to his team
05:21that the only way
05:22to get this done
05:23is to have them by our side.
05:24and I think that
05:25they're receptive to it
05:27and I believe that
05:28hopefully tomorrow in Moscow
05:29Steve and I
05:30will be successful
05:31and President Putin
05:32will give the blessing
05:33for that to occur.
05:38All right,
05:39Sasha Vakulina,
05:39thank you very much.
05:41As mentioned,
05:42U.S. Envoyes
05:43Witkow and Kushner
05:44will be in Dublin today
05:45to brief Ukrainian
05:46President Zelensky
05:47on progress
05:48on the talks in Abu Dhabi.
05:5145 other European leaders
05:52are also in the Irish capital
05:54for a gathering
05:55of the European
05:56political community.
05:58Let's bring in
05:59our correspondent
05:59Shona Mori
06:00who is in Dublin
06:01for us.
06:02Good morning, Shona.
06:03So firstly,
06:04tell us why leaders
06:05are meeting
06:06and what's been happening.
06:11Well, good morning, Stefan.
06:13It could be shaping up
06:14to be an EPC meeting
06:15like no other
06:16because you have
06:17those U.S. envoys
06:18Steve Witkow
06:19and Jared Kushner
06:19coming here this evening
06:20direct from Moscow.
06:22And of course,
06:23they'll be debriefing
06:24Vladimir Zelensky.
06:25As we know,
06:26President Zelensky
06:26gave a press briefing
06:27last night
06:28with the host
06:29of the Taoiseach
06:29Michal Martin
06:30where he called
06:31for European leaders
06:33to coalesce
06:34around one voice
06:35to speak for Europe.
06:36But normally,
06:37the EPC is an organisation
06:39of 50 European leaders.
06:41It was created
06:42in the aftermath
06:42of Russia's
06:43full-scale invasion
06:44of Ukraine
06:44and around 45
06:45of those leaders
06:46will be convening here
06:48in the Convention Centre
06:49in Dublin City Centre
06:50alongside Mark Rutte
06:52the NATO Secretary-General
06:53and Mark Carney
06:54the Prime Minister
06:55of Canada.
06:56Canada not too close
06:57to Europe necessarily
06:58geographically
06:59but very much so politically
07:01and Canada being
07:02very much part
07:02of European security architecture.
07:05So those discussions
07:05will really focus
07:07on the future
07:07of the continent
07:08and no doubt
07:09the discussions
07:10that have come
07:12from Abu Dhabi
07:12and ongoing
07:13in relation to Ukraine.
07:14Stefan?
07:15There's also a meeting
07:16of EU leaders
07:17on Friday.
07:18Tomorrow,
07:19what can we expect here?
07:24Well, indeed,
07:26after the 45 or so
07:28leaders meet today,
07:29tomorrow there'll be
07:30an informal meeting
07:31of the European Council
07:32of the 27 leaders
07:34of the EU,
07:34most of which
07:35will be here.
07:35We won't have
07:36the Spanish Prime Minister
07:37or the Belgian Prime Minister
07:38but they'll be discussing
07:40important issues
07:41around AI security,
07:42tech sovereignty
07:43and very much so
07:44discussing that issue
07:45from Vladimir Zelensky
07:47that Europe needs
07:48to nominate
07:49one spokesperson
07:50to discuss its future
07:52when it comes to
07:53negotiations around Ukraine
07:54and the security architecture.
07:56There'll also be
07:57probably quite a tense
07:58discussion
07:59about the EU
08:00seven-year budget
08:01because, you know,
08:01the German Chancellor
08:02Friedrich Merz
08:03has said
08:04that he's insisting
08:05that all 27 countries
08:07pay into the budget
08:08for Ukraine.
08:09Remember last Christmas
08:10some countries
08:11like Slovakia,
08:12Hungary and Czechia
08:13they said that they
08:14would not pay
08:15for Ukraine's
08:16future funding
08:17and Friedrich Merz
08:18said this is
08:19absolutely unacceptable
08:20that it can't be
08:21that only some countries
08:22share the burden.
08:23So those two days
08:24really probably
08:25will be quite crucial
08:26given the moment
08:27we're in now.
08:28Stefan?
08:29All right,
08:29Shona Murray in Dublin.
08:31Thank you very much.
08:33Infinitely scrolling
08:34and influencers
08:35opaquely peddling products
08:37could be very much
08:38a thing of the past
08:39as Brussels has proposed
08:41a crackdown
08:42against harmful
08:42e-commerce platforms
08:44and insidious
08:45online practices.
08:46Our correspondent
08:47Angela Skugin
08:48spoke exclusively
08:49with the EU
08:50Commissioner for Consumer
08:51Protection,
08:52Michael McGrath,
08:53about the new
08:54pitched measures
08:55as well as
08:56the political fight
08:57brewing in Warsaw
08:58over Poland's
08:59constitutional tribunal.
09:00Take a listen.
09:02It is a significant
09:04reform of EU
09:05consumer law
09:06because it reflects
09:06the digitalisation
09:08of our economy
09:09that we have
09:10experienced
09:11over the last
09:12number of years
09:12and it's the first
09:13major update
09:14in about 20 years
09:15and when you consider
09:16everything that has
09:17happened in our economy
09:18over that period of time
09:20then I think you
09:21begin to understand
09:22the need for
09:23this update
09:24to our legislation.
09:26What does the
09:26enforcement look like?
09:28So first of all
09:29the enforcement
09:30will still primarily
09:31be done
09:31at a national level
09:32and in the case of
09:34cross-border
09:35breaches of consumer law
09:36we will continue
09:37to coordinate
09:38as a European
09:39Commission
09:39the actions
09:40of many different
09:41national authorities
09:42but then for the
09:43more systemic
09:45large-scale breaches
09:46the Commission
09:47will have the power
09:47now for the first time
09:48to directly investigate
09:50and enforce
09:51consumer law
09:51and in extremis
09:53in the worst case
09:54scenario
09:55we have the potential
09:56to impose fines
09:57of up to 6%
09:58of worldwide turnover
10:00of companies
10:01found guilty
10:01of these major
10:02breaches of consumer law.
10:04Moving on to another
10:04topic that you cover
10:06as the Justice
10:07Commissioner
10:08we've seen
10:08a widening
10:09constitutional crisis
10:11occupy Poland.
10:13What do you make
10:14of this firestorm
10:16that seems to
10:16engulf Warsaw
10:17at the moment?
10:18Well the most
10:19important thing
10:20is that the rule
10:21of law
10:21is upheld
10:22in Poland
10:23and it falls
10:24to the Polish
10:25authorities
10:25in the first instance
10:26to ensure
10:27that that is the case
10:29and also to ensure
10:30that when it comes
10:31to the appointment
10:32of judges
10:33judges for example
10:33that it is done
10:35in a manner
10:35consistent with
10:37the Polish
10:38Constitutional Tribunal
10:40and indeed
10:41the judgments
10:42of the Court
10:42of Justice
10:43of the European Union
10:45and I take note
10:47of the fact
10:47that we had
10:48a Venice Commission
10:48opinion on these
10:50issues
10:51as recently
10:52as October
10:53and there's also
10:54irrelevant judgment
10:55with interim measures
10:57from the European
10:58Court of Human Rights
10:59earlier this year
11:00and in essence
11:01it is for the Parliament
11:03it is for the SEM
11:03in the case
11:04of Poland
11:05in line with
11:06their own
11:06constitution
11:07and in line
11:08with the provisions
11:08of the Court
11:09of Justice
11:09findings
11:10to appoint
11:12judges
11:13to serve
11:14at the highest
11:15level
11:16in the
11:16...
11:19Angela Scudgin
11:20speaking to
11:21EU Commissioner
11:22Michael McGrath
11:23As rising seas
11:25threaten coastal
11:26communities
11:26around the globe
11:29negotiators
11:29at COP31
11:30in Antalya
11:31Turkey
11:31are under
11:32immense pressure
11:33to move
11:34past empty
11:35promises
11:35but with
11:37geopolitical tensions
11:38high
11:38and major polluters
11:39dragging their feet
11:40can this summit
11:41actually deliver
11:42for our oceans
11:43to cut through
11:45the diplomatic noise
11:46I'm now joined
11:47from Antalya
11:47by Dr. Louis Firth
11:49a leading marine ecologist
11:50at University College
11:51Cork in Ireland
11:52good morning
11:53and thank you
11:54for coming on the show
11:56good morning
11:57thank you for having me
11:58so Turkey
11:59and Australia
11:59are co-leading
12:00what was built
12:01as the
12:02implementation summit
12:03yet neither
12:05is quitting
12:05fossil fuels
12:06why should we
12:07take the outcome
12:08of these talks
12:08seriously
12:11because we have to
12:12you asked the question
12:14about you know
12:14can we make a difference
12:15I think it's a case
12:16of we have to
12:17I was in a session
12:19yesterday
12:19where we were talking
12:21about small island
12:21nations
12:22and sea level rise
12:23those guys
12:24obviously are at
12:25the absolute
12:26front line
12:27and for example
12:28the Pacific
12:29holds some of
12:30the greatest
12:30natural wealth
12:31in the world
12:32so if those
12:33countries disappear
12:34and are threatened
12:36by sea level rise
12:37we all lose out
12:38so it's not a case
12:40of can we
12:41we have to
12:42right
12:43but the US
12:44skipping an official
12:45delegation
12:45and the EU
12:46distracted by
12:47its own economy
12:48are we heading
12:49for some sort
12:50of watered down
12:51compromises
12:52instead of real
12:53action
12:55I hope not
12:562026
12:57was a bit of
12:58a turning point
12:58for many of us
12:59I mean obviously
13:00with all of the
13:00extreme weather
13:01that was experienced
13:02across Europe
13:03and other places
13:04as well as the
13:05fuel crisis
13:05everyone is now
13:07aware of this
13:07there's not much
13:08space for climate
13:09denial anymore
13:10it's a case for action
13:12so I really do think
13:13the year that's been
13:14in it
13:15you know
13:16it's good
13:17it can hopefully
13:18shine a light
13:19on this
13:20and actually
13:21provide an
13:21impetus for more
13:22action
13:23Pacific Islanders
13:24already feel
13:26sidelined
13:26in Antalya
13:27what is the
13:28single
13:29non-negotiable
13:30result
13:31coastal communities
13:32need
13:32before the summit
13:34ends
13:36financing
13:37the rest of the
13:38world has to
13:39basically support
13:40them
13:41they were not
13:42the biggest
13:42polluters
13:43they were not
13:43the biggest
13:44contributors
13:44to this crisis
13:45but they're the
13:46ones that are
13:46going to experience
13:47it the most
13:48the rest of the
13:48world has to
13:49get behind
13:49supporting them
13:50and providing
13:51that finance
13:54and if COP31
13:55ends with more
13:56pledges on paper
13:58but no binding
13:59cash for coastal
14:00adaptation
14:00is the UN
14:01climate process
14:02officially broken
14:05oh dear
14:06that's a big
14:07question
14:07I hope not
14:09I hope not
14:11no
14:11I'm going to
14:12say no
14:13you have to
14:14hope
14:14what
14:15what need to
14:16happen then
14:21we've seen
14:22these
14:22conferences
14:23over and
14:24over again
14:25but if we
14:26look at the
14:26statistics
14:27and you
14:27know them
14:28better than
14:28me
14:28nothing really
14:30changes
14:30right
14:32well
14:33individuals
14:33can change
14:34things
14:34I mean
14:34there's a lot
14:35of things
14:35that individuals
14:36can do
14:36themselves
14:37and we're
14:37all empowered
14:38to make
14:39choices
14:39all day
14:40every day
14:40of our
14:40lives
14:41if we're
14:41waiting for
14:42the politicians
14:42to do that
14:44for us
14:44that's why
14:45we're in
14:46this mess
14:46individuals
14:47can't take
14:48control
14:48and there's
14:49plenty of
14:50decisions
14:50that they can
14:51make every
14:51single day
14:51to make a
14:52difference
14:53all right
14:54Dr. Louis
14:54Firth
14:55climate expert
14:56from University
14:57College Cork
14:57thank you
14:58very much
14:58for your
14:59time this
14:59morning
15:00this evening
15:01we will
15:02premiere a
15:02new show
15:03here on
15:04Euronews
15:04World
15:05Conversation
15:06with Jane
15:06Witherspoon
15:07launches at
15:0810 past
15:099 CET
15:09tonight
15:10her first
15:11guest is
15:12Sihasak
15:13Pranget
15:13Kiao
15:14the Deputy
15:14Prime Minister
15:15and Minister
15:15of Foreign
15:16Affairs
15:16of Thailand
15:17they'll be
15:18discussing
15:18geopolitics
15:19cooperation
15:20with Europe
15:21and relations
15:21with China
15:22and the
15:23United States
15:23here's a
15:24sneak peek
15:26you mentioned
15:27that the
15:27superpower
15:27so we're
15:28talking China
15:29and the
15:29US
15:29who are
15:30great allies
15:31for Thailand
15:32how do you
15:33balance that
15:33relationship
15:34though you
15:34say you
15:35make it
15:35about the
15:36issues
15:36not the
15:37countries
15:39well the
15:39best way
15:40of balancing
15:43is to
15:44you know we
15:45have to
15:45consider what
15:47is in our
15:47interest
15:48you know and
15:50what are
15:51the principles
15:52that we
15:54stand for
15:55and what we
15:56consider to be
15:57what is right
15:58yes
15:59and if
16:01there are
16:01when times
16:02come that
16:03you have to
16:03make a
16:04decision
16:05we do
16:05have to
16:06make a
16:06decision
16:07and maybe
16:08it goes
16:09one way
16:10and the
16:11other party
16:11might not
16:13like it
16:13but we
16:15hope that
16:16you know
16:16that they
16:17will respect
16:17us for
16:18having made
16:19that decision
16:20rather than
16:21you know
16:21sitting on
16:22the wall
16:22sitting on
16:23the fence
16:26that was
16:27jane with a
16:27spoon with
16:28the deputy
16:28prime minister
16:29of thailand
16:30the full
16:31interview tonight
16:31at ten past
16:32nine c
16:33et the
16:35eu commission
16:35has set out
16:36its legislative
16:37priorities for
16:382027 this
16:39week our
16:40flagship debate
16:41show the ring
16:42premiered for
16:42its second
16:43season with
16:44an expanded
16:45longer format
16:45and it has
16:46already left
16:47memorable headlines
16:48a true glimpse
16:49of european
16:50parliament debates
16:51members
16:52benedetta scuderi
16:53from the
16:53greens from
16:54italy and
16:55marcus ferber
16:56christian democrat
16:56from germany
16:57stepped on the
16:58ring as we
16:59asked is the
17:00eu headed into
17:01the right
17:02direction and
17:03they quickly
17:04slugged it out
17:05in a very
17:05heated debate
17:06take a look
17:07at what
17:07happened
17:08your group
17:09the green
17:10group calls
17:11the program
17:11for next
17:12year and i
17:13quote an
17:13attack against
17:14nature are
17:15you really sure
17:16that you are
17:17reading correctly
17:18what the commission
17:18has proposed
17:19that is not
17:20attack against
17:21nature but
17:22really adjusting
17:23to a new
17:24situation
17:24i think that
17:26adjusting to
17:26new situation
17:27would be
17:27extremely great
17:28if you look
17:28at what is
17:29the situation
17:30but it looks
17:30like the
17:31epp is not
17:32looking at
17:32the climate
17:33collapse
17:33you are not
17:34able to do
17:35anything about
17:36the climate
17:36what is your
17:37proof for this
17:37phrase
17:38that is
17:39unacceptable
17:40why is
17:40epp
17:42because all
17:42the omnibus
17:43as you really
17:44fried for them
17:44are going
17:45against
17:45anything
17:46that would
17:47be a
17:47climate
17:47collapse
17:48which omnibus
17:49tell me
17:50which omnibus
17:50i told you
17:51deforestation
17:51the omnibus
17:52the omnibus
17:53deforestation
17:54is not
17:54an omnibus
17:55sorry
17:55don't tell
17:56stories
17:57which are
17:57not the truth
17:58due diligence
17:58then
17:59it was one
18:00of the strongest
18:01things that we
18:01had
18:02for the climate
18:02said
18:03in 2019
18:04that will be
18:06the rise
18:06to the moon
18:07but the rise
18:08to the moon
18:08did not work
18:09with bureaucracy
18:09it worked
18:10with technology
18:11and that is
18:12what we don't need
18:13the rise to the moon
18:13we need to protect
18:14this planet
18:18see how hard
18:19my job is
18:20that does it
18:21for us today
18:22thank you for
18:23watching
18:23I'm Stefan Grober
18:24take care
18:25and I see you
18:25tomorrow
18:33we'll be right back