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Russia and Ukraine have carried out a significant prisoner exchange as part of ongoing peace negotiations held in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 23, 2025. The swap, conducted under the terms of the Istanbul Agreements, saw the return of 250 prisoners of war from each side, with plans to exchange at least 1,200 more in the near future.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that its servicemen were transferred to Belarus and will undergo treatment and rehabilitation in military medical facilities before returning to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the repatriation of seriously ill and wounded soldiers, many of whom had been held for over three years.
This latest exchange follows two previous rounds of direct talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2, which resulted in agreements to swap prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers. Ukraine reports that over 1,000 servicemen have returned home under these arrangements.
Despite progress on humanitarian issues, the third round of talks—lasting just 40 minutes—yielded no breakthrough on a ceasefire. Ukraine continues to push for a full and unconditional cessation of hostilities, while Russia has proposed short-term ceasefires of 24–48 hours to facilitate the recovery of casualties.
Negotiators also discussed a potential leaders’ summit involving Presidents Zelensky and Putin, with participation from U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. However, Russia insists such a meeting should only occur to sign a finalized agreement, not to negotiate terms.
The talks come amid heightened international pressure, including Trump’s ultimatum threatening severe sanctions unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days. While both sides remain far apart on key issues, they agreed to continue dialogue and explore further humanitarian exchanges, including the return of 3,000 Ukrainian bodies offered by Russia.
You can read more on Firstpost, News18, and France24.
Zelenskyy, Macron-and-Putin-2019-meeting-in-Paris-Picture-on-Flickr-by-kremlin.ru
