RUSSIA: In a rare moment of diplomacy amid the ongoing war, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged 780 prisoners, including both soldiers and civilians, in what officials say is the largest swap since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The exchange, involving 390 individuals from each side, marks a significant humanitarian gesture, though hopes for broader peace remain distant.
A Major Breakthrough in Prisoner Exchanges
The prisoner exchange, conducted on the Ukrainian border with Belarus, was the result of direct talks held in Istanbul, Turkey, just one week earlier.
This meeting—low-level and brief, lasting only two hours—was the first face-to-face dialogue between Russian and Ukrainian officials since March 2022.
As part of the agreement, each side returned 270 military personnel and 120 civilians.
The deal was unique not only in scale but also in its inclusion of such a large number of non-combatants, a notable shift from prior, more limited military-only exchanges.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a social media announcement, said:
“We are bringing our people home. We are verifying every surname, every detail about each person.”
This verification process has become standard, following numerous past concerns about misidentified or missing detainees.
Scenes of Emotion and Relief
In northern Ukraine, families gathered holding blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and photographs of their missing loved ones—fathers, sons, and husbands—hoping they would be among the returned. Tears of joy and emotional reunions followed the confirmation of the release.
According to Ukraine’s coordination headquarters for prisoners of war, the 270 Ukrainian servicemen had served across several conflict zones—Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
Three of the released were women, and several had been held for over a year.
On the Russian side, the Ministry of Defense reported that many of its returned detainees had been captured during Ukraine’s counter-offensives in the border region of Kursk.
These individuals are now in Belarus and will be transferred to Russia for medical evaluation and rehabilitation.
A Rare Moment of Cooperation Amid Escalation
The swap was praised internationally, including by former US President Donald Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform:
“This could lead to something big???”
While Trump’s involvement in the ongoing conflict is indirect, he has frequently weighed in, and earlier this week claimed that Russia and Ukraine were prepared to “immediately start negotiating toward a ceasefire” following his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, such optimism is tempered by skepticism in Kyiv. President Zelensky accused Putin of “trying to buy time” to continue military operations. He remains firm that any peace must be real, lasting, and not serve as a cover for further aggression.
Peace Talks: Still Distant
Although the prisoner swap was agreed in Istanbul, broader negotiations remain frozen. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that a second round of talks would occur soon, during which Russia would present a “memorandum” to the Ukrainian delegation.
However, Lavrov cast doubt on Ukraine’s political leadership, repeating the unfounded claim that Zelensky is no longer a legitimate leader—an assertion widely rejected by the international community.
“First we need to have a deal,” Lavrov said. “And when it’s agreed, then we will decide. But, as President Putin has said many times, President Zelensky does not have legitimacy.”
He added that Russia would wait to see “who among those in power in Ukraine has legitimacy” before signing any agreement.
Global Response and Future Mediation?
The international community responded cautiously to the exchange. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced support for a proposal—initially floated by Trump—that the Vatican could mediate peace talks.
However, Lavrov quickly dismissed this idea as “not very realistic”.
Despite this moment of progress, many observers believe that a long-term peace remains elusive, with both sides still far apart on key issues including territorial sovereignty, leadership recognition, and security guarantees.
