RUSSIA – The second round of Russia-Ukraine truce talks in Istanbul, Turkey, held today concluded after an hour. Russian team was led by the presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, while Ukraine’s delegation was headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The Ukrainian delegation also included the foreign minister, head of intelligence, and chief of the General Staff.
Speaking in a press conference at the Vilnius Summit with B9 and Nordic countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the end of talks, saying he was waiting for Umerov’s report.
“They (delegations) exchanged documents through the Turkish side, and we are preparing a new release of prisoners of war,” he said.
Following the talks, Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office and a member of the delegation, said on Telegram that Ukraine demanded the return of children, who, according to Kyiv were “illegally deported, forcibly relocated” to the Russia-controlled territories.
Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap Agreement After the Russia-Ukraine Truce Talks
Ukraine and Russia have reached a major agreement in Istanbul to conduct the largest exchange of prisoners and bodies since the war began in February 2022, officials from both sides confirmed following peace talks hosted by Türkiye.
“We agreed on an ‘all-for-all’ exchange of seriously wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war. The second category is young soldiers aged 18 to 25,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said at a press conference.
“We also agreed on the return of 6,000-for-6,000 bodies of dead soldiers,” he added, emphasizing that while the agreement focused on specific categories rather than fixed numbers, the humanitarian aspect was clear.
Umerov reiterated Kyiv’s broader demands, saying: “We insist on the release of all prisoners and the return of all our captives and abducted children.”
Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, also confirmed the agreement.
Speaking to journalists, he said: “Moscow and Kyiv agreed on the largest-ever war prisoners exchange – an all-for-all format covering heavily wounded and young soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25.”
He added that Moscow would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Confirmed the Prisoner Swap
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday that Moscow and Kyiv agreed to hold another round of exchange of war prisoners.
Speaking at a news conference in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, Zelenskyy said the delegations exchanged documents through Türkiye at the meeting held in Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace.
“We are preparing for the release of prisoners of war,” he said.
In a separate statement, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Ukraine had three main points on the agenda – the first one was a ceasefire.
“Secondly, the liberation of our people, prisoners, and abducted children. Thirdly, a meeting between leaders. Only the exchange aspect has been agreed upon so far. Further details will be provided later,” he said.
Istanbul also hosted the previous round of talks on May 16, which had resulted in the largest prisoner swap between the two countries since the start of the Moscow-Kyiv conflict, now in its fourth year.