Russia and Ukraine Agree on Major Prisoner Swap

(The Post News)- Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a significant prisoner exchange and the repatriation of thousands of fallen soldiers during direct talks in Istanbul on Monday. However, despite these humanitarian gestures, both sides remain far apart on the broader goal of ending the war. The rival delegations met at the historic Çırağan Palace, in what was their second face-to-face meeting in less than a month. Expectations were low amid renewed military escalations from both countries. The negotiations lasted under two hours.

Landmark Prisoner Swap Agreement

The most concrete outcome was a deal to exchange severely wounded soldiers and all captured fighters under the age of 25. Ukrainian Defence Minister and lead negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed the agreement: “We agreed to exchange all-for-all seriously wounded and seriously sick prisoners of war. The second category is young soldiers who are from 18 to 25 years old, all for all.” Russia’s lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the deal would involve “at least 1,000” prisoners on each side, surpassing the previous 1,000-for-1,000 exchange agreed in May. Both sides also committed to returning the remains of approximately 6,000 fallen soldiers to their home countries.

Children, Ceasefires, and Rejections

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking from Lithuania, said that Ukraine had also presented a list of nearly 400 abducted Ukrainian children it seeks to bring home. However, Russia agreed to return only 10 of them so far. No substantial headway was made on a ceasefire. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya said, “The Russian side continued to reject the motion of an unconditional ceasefire.” Russia instead proposed a limited pause in fighting, “We have proposed a specific ceasefire for two to three days in certain areas of the front line,” Medinsky said, citing the need to collect soldiers’ remains.

Dueling Peace Proposals

Russia presented a memorandum outlining its demands for a ceasefire. Ukrainian officials said they needed a week to review the document before offering a response. The Russian memorandum includes contentious conditions: Ukrainian withdrawal from four partially occupied regions annexed by Russia in 2022, halt to mobilization efforts and a freeze on Western arms deliveries, ban on the presence of foreign military forces on Ukrainian soil, end to martial law and holding of elections, declaration of neutral status, withdrawal from NATO ambitions, and recognition of Russian as an official language. Both Ukraine and Western allies have previously rejected these demands as unacceptable.

More Talks Proposed, But Outlook Gloomy

Ukraine has proposed further talks between June 20 and 30, and Zelenskyy has reiterated his willingness to meet with President Vladimir Putin directly. Yet analysts say the chances of a breakthrough remain slim. “All the main political questions were left unopened,” said Andrey Fedorov, a former Russian deputy foreign minister. “While both sides presented peace proposals, they were very contradictory.”

Trump and Erdogan Enter the Picture

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the talks as “magnificent” and said he hopes to host a three-way summit including Putin, Zelenskyy, and Donald Trump. “My greatest wish is to bring together Putin and Zelenskyy in Istanbul or Ankara—and even add Trump,” Erdogan said. A White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said Trump is “open” to such a meeting and “wants leaders to sit down at the table.”