Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine and Russia are
currently working on a new exchange of prisoners of war, signaling a potential
humanitarian breakthrough amid the ongoing conflict.
The
president made the disclosure after peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian
delegations were held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Speaking
from Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where he was attending a meeting with
leaders from Central European and Nordic countries, Zelenskyy said:
“Following
the Istanbul talks, both sides are working on an updated framework for prisoner
exchange. The goal remains simple: to bring our people home.”
While
details of the potential exchange are yet to be made public, observers say the
renewed negotiations reflect cautious optimism about limited cooperation
between the two warring nations — especially on humanitarian matters.
Both
countries have carried out multiple prisoner swaps since Russia's full-scale
invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The exchanges are typically
brokered through neutral parties or international organizations and often
involve soldiers, medics, and sometimes civilians.
Analysts
view the development as part of a broader attempt to reduce tensions through back-channel
diplomacy and confidence-building measures, even as active conflict continues
in several regions of Ukraine.
Further updates are expected as negotiations progress.
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