First part of Ukraine-Russia prisoners of war exchange completed, Zelenskyy says

Published connected 23/05/2025 - 16:49 GMT+2•Updated 19:53

The first portion of a captive speech pinch Russia agreed successful Istanbul past week has been completed, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said connected Friday.

"We are bringing our group home. The first portion of nan 1,000-for-1,000 speech statement has been implemented. Today we person 390 people. We expect nan speech to proceed connected Saturday and Sunday," he said.

Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for nan Treatment of POWs reported that 270 soldiers and 120 civilians were released from captivity connected Friday.

The caput of Ukraine’s statesmanlike agency Andriy Yermak said among those returned are nan soldiers who had been successful Russian captivity since 2022.

Ukraine and Russia agreed to switch 1,000 prisoners of warfare each during face-to-face talks successful Istanbul past Friday — nan first clip nan 2 sides had met successful personification since nan early weeks pursuing Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful early 2022.

"I americium grateful to everyone who is helping, who is moving 24/7 to guarantee that Ukrainians return home. It is very important to return each those who are successful captivity. We are checking each sanction and accusation astir each person," Zelenskyy added.

Earlier connected Friday, US President Donald Trump was nan first to denote nan speech successful a station connected Truth Social, but claimed it had been completed.

"A awesome prisoners switch was conscionable completed betwixt Russia and Ukraine," Trump wrote. “Congratulations to some sides connected this negotiation. This could lead to thing big," he added.

However, a Ukrainian root told nan Kyiv Independent regular that Trump's comments were inaccurate and that nan speech remained ongoing.

At slightest 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers are being held captive by Russia, nan statesmanlike agency lawman caput Iryna Vereshchuk said connected 1 May, referring to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for nan Treatment of POWs.

Kyiv does not merchandise nan figures for really galore Russian POWs are presently successful Ukrainian custody.

No negotiated breakthrough

The highly anticipated talks successful Turkey past week lasted only 2 hours and did not bring a meaningful breakthrough successful world negotiated efforts to extremity Russia's all-out warfare aliases bring connected a ceasefire.

After talks concluded, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called nan captive switch a "confidence-building measure" and said nan parties had agreed successful rule to meet again.

But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that nary statement has yet been reached connected nan venue for nan adjacent information of talks arsenic negotiated manoeuvring continues.

European leaders person accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet successful bid efforts while he tries to property connected pinch a battlefield inaugural and seizure much Ukrainian land.

The Istanbul gathering revealed that some sides intelligibly remained acold isolated connected cardinal conditions.

One specified information for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is simply a impermanent ceasefire arsenic a first measurement toward a serene settlement.

The Kremlin has pushed backmost connected a impermanent halt to hostilities, and Putin has said immoderate specified truce must travel pinch a frost connected Western arms supplies to Ukraine and an extremity to Ukraine’s mobilisation drive.

A elder Ukrainian charismatic said that successful Istanbul, Russia had introduced new, "unacceptable demands" to retreat Ukrainian forces from important parts of Ukrainian land.

Putin has agelong demanded that Ukraine retreat its troops from nan 4 regions that Russia unilaterally annexed successful September 2022 but ne'er afloat occupied arsenic a cardinal information for a bid deal. The annexation has been wide condemned arsenic illegal.

Zelenskyy has warned that if Russia continues to cull a ceasefire and make "unrealistic demands," it will awesome deliberate efforts to prolong nan war, a move that should bring tougher world sanctions.