Ukraine, Russia prepare for 1,000 to 1,000 prisoner of war exchange
KYIV — A major prisoner swap involving 1,000 captives from each side may take place next week, Ukrainian officials confirmed Saturday following peace talks with Russia in Istanbul.
'I hope it will happen next week,' said Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov in remarks to TSN, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
'There will be an exchange — whoever we can take, we will take. And give it back in the same way.'
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv's delegation at the talks, said both sides had agreed in principle on the format and timeline of the exchange. 'We know the date, but we won't say it yet,' he added.
Russian presidential aide and chief negotiator Volodymyr Medinsky also confirmed that preparations were underway for the proposed "1,000 for 1,000" exchange.
Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence, stated that the formal process of returning Ukrainian prisoners of war has begun.
The May 16 meeting in Istanbul was part of Türkiye's mediation efforts to end the war, focusing on humanitarian arrangements such as a ceasefire and prisoner releases.
Both sides remain far apart on broader political issues, but the agreement marks a step forward in de-escalation efforts. — Agencies
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
4 hours ago
- Leaders
Moscow Dismisses Imminent Putin-Zelensky-Trump Summit
The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and US President Donald Trump seems 'unlikely' in the near future. This statement followed the White House's indication that it remained 'open' to the idea of such a meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed reporters, stating that the chances of a meeting occurring soon are minimal. He emphasized that any summit could only take place after Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reach a significant 'agreement.' Complexity of Peace Negotiations The Kremlin described the ongoing efforts to settle the war in Ukraine as extraordinarily complex. Peskov noted, 'The [peace] settlement theme is extremely complex; it consists of a large number of nuances.' He mentioned that it would be misguided to expect any imminent decisions. He added that the Kremlin is currently awaiting During peace talks in Turkey on Monday, Russia informed Ukraine that it would only agree to cease hostilities if Kyiv concedes substantial territory. Additionally, Russia demands that Ukraine accept limitations on the size of its military, conditions that Ukraine has consistently rejected. Despite previously dismissing these proposals, Ukraine indicated that it would take time before formally responding to Russia's demands. Peskov reiterated that Moscow is patiently waiting for Ukraine's reaction. He also confirmed Moscow would honor agreements reached during the Istanbul talks regarding prisoner exchanges and the return of deceased soldiers. Progress and Future Steps Peskov stated that the peace settlement theme consists of many nuances and requires careful consideration, mentioning that certain agreements reached in Istanbul are important and will be implemented. Peskov said, 'Of course, it would be wrong to expect any immediate solutions and breakthroughs here, but work is under way.' The work on the peace process will continue, but immediate solutions are unlikely. However, Peskov declined to comment on Russia's readiness to compromise, stating that negotiations had to be conducted behind closed doors, emphasizing the importance of confidentiality in the negotiation process. The Kremlin's comments followed peace talks in Turkey where Russia demanded significant concessions from Ukraine. In summary, the Kremlin has dampened hopes for an imminent meeting between Putin, Zelensky, and Trump. The peace process remains complex and requires patience and careful consideration. While negotiators reached certain agreements, participants do not expect immediate solutions, and negotiators will continue discussions behind closed doors. Short link : Post Views: 106
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
No Way to Restart Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant at Present, IAEA Chief Says
Conditions for restarting Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant do not exist at present due to a lack of water for cooling and the absence of a stable power supply, the head of the UN's nuclear safety watchdog said on Tuesday. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told Reuters in an interview in Kyiv that water would have to be pumped from the Dnipro River for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently shut down, to restart. The facility, in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, was occupied by Russia in March 2022, shortly after it launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Grossi said the Russians had "never hidden the fact" that they want to restart the plant, but they would not be able to do so soon. "We are not in a situation of imminent restart of the plant. Far from that, it would take quite some time before that can be done," Grossi said. The IAEA chief added that the plant's machinery, which has not been operating for three years, would have to be thoroughly inspected before any restart. Ukraine has said that an attempt by Russian technicians to restart the plant would be dangerous because they are not certified to operate the Zaporizhzhia plant. Grossi said Russian nuclear staff were capable of conducting a restart, and that the issue of certification was a political rather than technical one. Ukraine has also protested at the IAEA's monitoring mission to the plant accessing it via Russian-occupied territory. Grossi said this was to protect the safety of his staff, and that at present he does not have the necessary guarantees from the Russian side to safely transit IAEA staff through the frontlines to Ukraine-controlled territory, as had been done several times before.
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Arab News
Macron to visit Meloni after rivalry creates tension on Ukraine, trade
Macron is a fervent pro-European who has had a long rapport with Donald TrumpMeloni is a nationalist with a strong transatlantic tilt who seems more ideologically aligned with the US presidentPARIS/ROME: French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday, seeking to improve relations amid tensions between the two European leaders over Ukraine, trade and relations with the United is a fervent pro-European who has had a long rapport with Donald Trump, while Meloni is a nationalist with a strong transatlantic tilt who seems more ideologically aligned with the US president. They have advocated different — even competing — approaches to the new Trump whose country has a large trade surplus with the US, has sought to keep Europe aligned with the US, using the slogan 'Make the West great again' in a meeting with Trump in Washington in April. Macron has pushed for the EU to take a more independent the Russian war in Ukraine, Meloni has been skeptical about Macron's 'coalition of the willing' and a Franco-British plan put forward earlier this year to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement. Sending troops would be deeply unpopular in flared publicly in recent weeks, with officials close to Macron and Meloni privately or openly criticizing their respective initiatives over Ukraine or was criticized in Italy for not traveling to Kyiv with Macron and the German, British and Polish leaders on May 10 and then for missing a call with Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a summit in Albania a few days Meloni explained her absence by saying the meetings were about sending troops to Ukraine, her government was furious that Macron said publicly that the meetings were about a ceasefire and seemed to equate her justification with 'Russian disinformation.'French and Italian officials said Macron had taken the initiative to hold Tuesday's meeting and sought to play down talk of a rift, saying the meeting and a working dinner would be an opportunity for Macron to show 'respect' and 'friendship.''The president is available to all of our European partners, whatever the political persuasion may be,' an Elysee official told Elysee said the two would discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, the Mercosur trade deal and US tariffs, as well as industrial cooperation between the two countries, including Franco-Italian carmaker Stellantis, which appointed a new Italian chief executive last officials said the meeting was meant to 'lay the foundations for a further strengthening of relations' and added that talks would also address the situation in the Middle East and Italy and France are worried Russia might boost its presence in eastern Libya, to keep a foothold in the Mediterranean after Moscow's ally President Bashar Assad was ousted in Syria in December.'This Macron-Meloni meeting isn't about rekindling Franco-Italian friendship. It's about necessity, not nostalgia,' said Francesco Galietti of Rome-based consultancy Policy Sonar, saying the two capitals should find common ground on Libya 'fast.'
