Ukraine brings back 84 POWs including dozens of civilians
Thursday's swap included 33 soldiers and 51 civilians, according to the Ukrainian state committee in charge of POWs, which added that one of the prisoners had spent more than 4,000 days in captivity.
Another was a primary school teacher captured by Russian-backed separatists in 2019.
"Among the civilians released today are those who had been held by the Russians since 2014, 2016, and 2017," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X. "Among the military released today are the defenders of Mariupol."
Kyiv and Moscow have carried out regular swaps during the 3-1/2-year-old war despite no lulls in fighting, with Ukraine returning more than 5,000 POWs since the Kremlin's February 2022 invasion.
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The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv ‘pushes Russian forces back' hours after Putin asks Trump for Donetsk surrender
The Ukrainian military has claimed to have pushed Russia 's forces back by about 1.2 miles on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. "Ukrainian soldiers continue active combat actions to destroy the enemy and liberate our settlements," the Ukrainian general staff said. It added that fighting was raging near the villages of Oleksiivka and Yunakivka, which lie 5km and 7km from the Russian border, respectively. It comes as Vladimir Putin has demanded Ukraine surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk provinces as one condition for ending the war. The Russian leader told Donald Trump that he would be prepared to stop fighting on the rest of the frontline if Ukraine gave in to the demand and addressed the 'root causes of the conflict'. The concessions were discussed at the highly anticipated summit of the two leaders in Alaska on Friday, which ended with no peace deal despite nearly three hours of talks. Sources very close to the meeting told The Independent the dramatic move appears to have been endorsed by Mr Trump as a means to bring an end to the war. Volodymyr Zelensky is due to head to Washington DC on Monday to meet Trump, after the US President hailed his meeting with the Russian leader as 'very successful'. Canada praises US stance on Ukraine security guarantees Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has welcomed what he said was US openness to providing security guarantees to Ukraine under a peace deal to end Russia's war against Kyiv. "Robust and credible security guarantees are essential to any just and lasting peace. I welcome the openness of the United States to providing security guarantees as part of Coalition of the Willing's efforts," Carney said in a statement. "The leadership of President Trump and the United States is creating the opportunity to end Russia's illegal war in Ukraine." Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 20:58 Full report | Putin demands Zelensky surrenders Donestsk region as condition for ending war in Ukraine Our World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley reports: Putin demands Ukraine surrenders Donestsk region as condition for ending war Details on Vladimir Putin's demand for Ukrainian terriotary comes ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky meeting Donald Trump in Washington on Monday Ukraine says it presses Russian troops back on part of Sumy front The Ukrainian military said that it had pushed Russian forces back by about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which controls a little over 200 square kilometres in the region, according to Ukraine's battlefield mapping project DeepState. "Ukrainian soldiers continue active combat actions to destroy the enemy and liberate our settlements," the Ukrainian general staff wrote on Facebook. It added that fighting was raging near the villages of Oleksiivka and Yunakivka, which lie 5 km and 7 km from the Russian border, respectively. The ebb and flow of the battlefield lines has taken on greater political significance in recent days as Ukraine finds itself at another critical diplomatic juncture with U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up his efforts to broker an end to the war. Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 20:02 Watch | Starmer speaks with Trump after president's Ukraine ceasefire talks with Putin Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 19:59 Trump and Zelensky to meet at the White House Monday. Here's what to expect Katie Hawkinson reports: Trump and Zelensky to meet in Oval Office amid fallout from Putin Alaska summit Trump spoke with Zelensky for more than 90 minutes after his Alaska meeting with Putin Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 19:29 Recap | Zelensky must be at future peace talks, Starmer says The 'path to peace in Ukraine' cannot be decided without Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer said, as he commended Donald Trump's 'pursuit of an end to the killing'. The Prime minister said the US president's actions had 'brought us closer than ever before' to an end to the war in Ukraine. But he insisted insisted Ukraine's leader must take part in future peace talks after speaking with Mr Trump and Nato allies in the wake of the US president's negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Sir Keir spent Saturday morning speaking to western allies in the wake of the Anchorage summit. Following the round of calls, the Prime minister said: 'President Trump's efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia's illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended. 'While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him.' Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 18:59 Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 18:31 The key takeaways from Putin and Trump's summit in Alaska My colleague Holly Evans reports: The key takeaways from Putin and Trump's summit in Alaska Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meeting Trump in Washington next week after the Alaska summit ended without a deal Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 18:12 Comment | Putin got everything he wanted from Trump – Ukraine will be terrified for what comes next Jon Sopel writes: When I went to bed last night, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had just gone into their summit meeting in Anchorage, Alaska – and I really had not the faintest idea what I might wake up to. Would it be a comprehensive peace deal agreed between the two of them that would totally screw Ukraine; or would it be a furious Trump announcing massive, punitive sanctions against Russia over Putin's intransigence – something he had been threatening just a couple of weeks ago before announcing the summit? Or would it be any number of outcomes in between? Instead, we woke up to – well, what exactly? Sure, there was a lot of vacuous vibe stuff about progress, constructive talks, deeper understanding, but let's be clear about the headline: THERE WAS NO DEAL. The missiles, the attack drones, will continue and, as far as we can tell, there is no timetable for a ceasefire. Both Ukraine and Europe will be concerned about the Alaska summit and how it took place, writes Jon Sopel, and it's not looking good for President Zelensky's imminent visit to the White House Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 17:49 Nordic-Baltic leaders say they remain steadfast in support of Ukraine The leaders of eight Nordic-Baltic nations have said that they remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine and to the efforts by Donald Trump to end the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden said in a statement that achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia requires a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine. "We welcome President Trump's statement that the US is prepared to participate in security guarantees. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with other countries," the statement said. Trump has said that he had agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies, until now with US support, have demanded. Jabed Ahmed16 August 2025 17:36
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Is Zelensky about to walk into another White House ambush after Trump's Putin meeting?
The free world's most celebrated president is showing some mettle in agreeing to a meeting with the leader of the free world. When Volodymyr Zelensky walks into the Oval Office on Monday, he knows he's risking another ambush. The Ukrainian president is prepared to gamble that he'll get another White House schoolyard bullying session, because there's a slim chance that Donald Trump may finally have tired of being played by the Kremlin. It is now conceivable, just, that Trump is prepared to consider security guarantees for Ukraine that reflect Nato's Article 5, which could mean that if Ukraine signed up to a peace deal then its long-term future sovereignty and security would be protected, by force of arms, by allies including the US. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, spoke with Trump and went public with the idea (that had been hers in the first place) suggesting that the US president had bought into the concept. "The crucial point remains security guarantees to prevent new Russian invasions, and this is the aspect where the most interesting developments were recorded in Anchorage," Meloni said. Meloni said Trump had highlighted an earlier Italian proposal for security guarantees for Ukraine "inspired by Nato's Article 5'. "The starting point of the proposal is the definition of a collective security clause that would allow Ukraine to benefit from the support of all its partners, including the USA, ready to take action in case it is attacked again," said Meloni. After his Friday summit with Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Trump said that the two presidents were close to an agreement. He didn't mention 'peace' or a 'ceasefire' and admitted that there's no deal until there is a full deal. Sources have since confirmed to The Independent that Putin demanded that Ukraine give Luhansk and Donetsk provinces to Russia in return for a 'freeze' on the front lines elsewhere. Zelensky, they said, would seek 'clarity' on the proposal - which could only be agreed after a referendum in Ukraine. 'We had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there,' Trump said. That 'one' significant sticking point with Russia might well be that Ukraine and Europe have persuaded Trump that there can be no enduring peace for Ukraine if a ceasefire, or peace deal, is just a pause in fighting while the Kremlin prepares for a renewed conflict. Putin's demand that Ukraine cede two provinces in return for a pause in the killing are certain to be rejected by Europe and Ukraine as they make no commitment to ending Putin's long-term desire to take the rest of the counrty. So far this year Trump has echoed and accepted almost all of Russia's conditions for peace. He has endorsed Putin's demand that Ukraine can never join Nato. He has accepted that Moscow should keep the Ukrainian lands it has already captured. He has blamed the west for provoking the war with Russia in the first place and has even questioned the legitimacy of the Zelensky presidency itself. Diplomatic sources very close to the European and Ukrainian talks, which followed the Trump-Putin meeting, said that while there was relief that Trump now understood the need for Ukrainian security guarantees. But details of how it would work – and what concessions Ukraine would be asked to make, are critical. 'The question is – how can, or will, this work?' one senior source said. If, on arrival in the Oval Office, Trump tells him to accept that he must give away Ukraine's east, including Crimea, forever abandon fantasies of joining the EU and Nato and hold elections while his country is occupied (all Russian demands) – then any 'security guarantees' will be meaningless. They will have been part of a Russian effort to see Zelensky enfiladed in the White House, as he was in February. Europe's leaders know this. They have moved fast to wrap Zelensky in diplomatic armour. "We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome President Trump's statement that the US is prepared to give security guarantees. The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to EU and NATO,' they said. The leaders – Sir Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Germany's Friedrich Merz, Finnish president Alexander Stubb, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, European Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – are warning Trump that, whatever Putin may have told him, he risks a permanent breach with Europe if he stays in the Kremlin's camp. Zelensky has reiterated these principles and that there can be no talks about Ukraine, without Ukraine. Trump has said he understands this. But his instincts remain with Putin. Worse still is that while the US president is narcissistic and peevish, which makes him easily manipulated by Putin. But he deeply, personally, resents Zelensky. Both are former television stars. But Ukraine's president is perceived as the embodiment of his nation's heroism. Trump is seen as a dangerous joke on the international stage. When they meet again in the White House on Monday it's unlikely trump will contain his righteous jealousy.
The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ukraine will be forced to surrender eastern territory & forget about joining Nato under Trump and Putin's peace terms
STRICKEN Ukraine will be forced to surrender large swathes of its eastern territory and forget about ever joining Nato under peace terms haggled by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The war-torn country's desire to join the European Union is also in doubt after the two superpower presidents held controversial talks in Alaska on Friday. 8 8 8 Ukraine would be outlawed fro m joining the Western defence alliance, but have its redrawn borders underwritten by its US and European allies in the terms suggested by the White House. Allies have offered 'ironclad' security assurances to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression if a peace deal can be forged. But it would stop short of Nato Article 5 status, which sees members of the alliance leap to the aid of any member that is attacked. Ukraine's desire to join Nato has been blamed as a root cause of President Putin's invasion. He has insisted 'Nyet' — Russian for 'No' — over the proposal. But the future security of Ukraine is the number one condition of its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. British and other European troops could be committed to police the peace, with President Trump finally conceding the Americans would play a vital role in the future defence of Ukraine. Last night, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly stated: 'The good news is that America is ready to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone.' And PM Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Trump's 'leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing' should be commended. Calls for an immediate ceasefire were dropped by world leaders yesterday, after Mr Trump announced he was instead pursuing a more stable and lasting 'peace deal'. Trump-Putin latest- Don says 'no deal' on Ukraine war & holds call with Zelensky after saying it's now 'up to him' Plans haggled at Friday's face-to-face summit are being circulated by the Americans after the US President and the Kremlin tyrant met each other in Anchorage, Alaska, for more than three hours. The Sun has been told a surrender deal would see Ukraine forced to reject Nato membership and other 'multinational deals'. Negotiations would also begin about ceding control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Eastern Ukraine which are, in part, heavily occupied by Russian troops. There was confusion last night over whether the talks would focus on territory currently held by the Kremlin invaders, or whether the wider regions were on the table. Yesterday, EU leaders insisted: 'Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to EU and Nato.' However, that does not rule out Mr Zelensky deciding to withdraw Ukraine's stated aim to join both alliances as part of the wider deal. He will fly to Washington DC on Monday to meet with President Trump at the White House — six months after their disastrous Oval Office bust up, which saw the leader of the free world savage Mr Zelensky live on TV. 8 Russia has long claimed Donetsk and Luhansk are more loyal to Moscow than Kyiv, while Mr Zelensky has publicly ruled out giving up the land. However, he is under massive pressure to concede and end the bloody three-and-a-half year conflict, which has seen more than a million deaths. European leaders were locked in talks with the White House this weekend, as the world scrambled to catch up with what Mr Trump had offered Mr Putin to end the war. Last night, UK government sources said the PM was playing a key role in selling the terms of the deal to wider Western allies in a series of calls following the talks between the Americans and Russians. I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more Sir Keir Starmer's statement President Trump yesterday insisted it is time for Mr Zelensky to choose whether to agree with the terms of the deal — as the pair prepared to meet tomorrow. The White House has also offered to play host to a trilateral summit between the Russians and Ukrainians if the deal is within reach. Speaking following Friday's talks, where he met with his Russian counterpart for the first time in six years, President Trump insisted it was 'a great and very successful day in Alaska!' He wrote on his Truth Social website: 'The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelensky of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of Nato. 8 8 'It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up. President Zelensky will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. 'Potentially, millions of people's lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Last night, President Putin also welcomed progress made at the talks, after leaving the summit without taking questions from hundreds of assembled journalists. In a televised address released by the Kremlin, he said: 'The conversation was very frank, substantive, and, in my opinion, brings us closer to the necessary decisions.' He added: 'We have not had direct negotiations of this kind at this level for a long time. We had the opportunity to calmly and in detail reiterate our position.' We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to EU and NATO European statement In a long statement, President Zelensky welcomed the offer of security guarantees outlined by Mr Trump, in a tentative sign he may be willing to sign up to the terms. He wrote: 'A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions. Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure. 'All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned. 'Thousands of our people remain in captivity — they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.' He went on: 'In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war. Sanctions are an effective tool. 'Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with involvement of Europe and the US. 'All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine's participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine. I thank our partners who are helping.' Yesterday the PM was taking part in a round of behind the scenes diplomacy, speaking to the White House and European capitals. He heaped praise on Mr Trump, saying his 'efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia's illegal war in Ukraine'. He went on: 'His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.' But the PM warned: 'While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky. 8 The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him. I spoke to President Zelensky, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase. 'I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. 'This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more. 'In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people. Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.' In a joint statement, Sir Keir and European leaders including France's Emmanuel Macron and Italy's Giorgia Meloni, said: 'We are clear Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 'No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to EU and Nato. 8 By Sophia Sleigh DONALD Trump was right to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table on Friday, says Dame Priti Patel. The Shadow Foreign Secretary gave her support to the US President's efforts — while adding that Britain must keep up 'tightening the screws' on the Russian tyrant's regime. The Tory grandee told The Sun on Sunday: 'It is right President Trump has brought Putin to the negotiating table. 'And we support his efforts in ending Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. 'Now is the time for the Euro-Atlantic partnership to be stronger than ever in supporting Ukraine, and forcing Putin to end his barbaric war. 'The British government must lead the charge, as we have done, in keeping pressure on Putin through sanctions — and demonstrate we can lead efforts to support Ukraine, and tighten the screws on Russia.' But others had concerns that no ceasefire had been reached yesterday — even with Mr Trump having warned Putin of 'severe consequences" if fighting did not stop. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Trump has to tell him to agree to a ceasefire or he will up the ante on sanctions, secondary sanctions and weapons to Ukraine. Putin has to fear what Trump can do — more than his own generals and politicians who would come after him.' He added that Trump 'must understand who Putin is, a KGB man who has one purpose in life — to recreate the Soviet Union'. Former PM Boris Johnson also said that Trump was right to make a move as Putin was weaker than he seemed owing to the war's damage to Russia's economy. Most Labour MPs remained quiet on the talks. Crossbench peer and intelligence expert Lord Peter Ricketts said they were a 'clear win' for Putin.
