Ukraine is actively working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia, aiming for the release of over 1,200 Ukrainian detainees, according to statements by President Volodymyr Zelensky and his national security chief.
In a video message shared Sunday on Telegram, President Zelensky emphasized that the government is focused on reviving the exchange process:
“We are counting on the resumption of exchanges. Many meetings, negotiations, and calls are currently dedicated to this,” he said.
Ukraine’s Security and Defense Council head, Rustem Umerov, confirmed on Saturday that consultations had recently taken place in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with support from Kyiv’s international partners, to advance the process.
“As a result of these negotiations, the parties agreed to return to the Istanbul agreements,” Umerov explained, referring to a framework established in 2022 under Turkey’s mediation for large-scale coordinated prisoner exchanges between the two countries.
These Istanbul agreements laid the groundwork for previous exchanges that saw thousands of prisoners released on both sides. However, the exchanges have been sporadic and repeatedly disrupted due to ongoing military escalations since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
So far, there has been no official response from Moscow regarding Kyiv’s recent statements.
Umerov added that further consultations will follow soon to finalize the procedural and logistical details of the renewed exchange operation:
“We are working tirelessly to ensure that the Ukrainians returning from captivity can celebrate the New Year and Christmas at home – at the family table and with their loved ones,” he said.
