Ukraine and Russia Reach Deal on 1,000 Prisoner Exchange in Istanbul
Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners, according to the Ukrainian delegation leader, Defense Minister Rustem Umjerow. “We have discussed an exchange of 1,000 for 1,000. We are also working on other modalities for this exchange” Umjerow said to Ukrainian media.
A date for the exchange is already set for “the near future” but Umjerow did not mention it. However, significant progress towards a ceasefire or even a peace solution was not achieved. Ukraine accused the Russian side of making “unacceptable demands” including the demand for the Russian takeover of Ukrainian-controlled territories.
This was the first direct meeting between the warring parties in over three years. The Russian President had previously called for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine “without preconditions” after Western countries demanded a 30-day ceasefire. Selenskyj immediately announced his participation and willingness for a personal meeting, but expressed doubts about the Kremlin’s intentions.
Since December 2019, Putin and Selenskyj have not met in person. The fighting in eastern Ukraine, which had been simmering for years, escalated in 2022 when Russia launched an invasion from three sides. The advance surprised the Russians and was quickly halted, leading to a war of attrition along the newly-formed front. It is estimated that over 100,000 people have already lost their lives. The prisoner exchange deal is expected to be a significant step towards de-escalation in the conflict.