Russia and Ukraine have reached new agreements not only on military prisoner swaps but also on the exchange of civilian detainees, marking a significant step in the ongoing negotiations held in Istanbul, according to a TASS source.
Ukrainian delegation head Rustem Umerov confirmed that Kyiv is ready for a ceasefire and has proposed holding a summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and U.S. President Donald Trump before the end of August, as reported by Suspilne.
During the talks, the parties discussed future stages of prisoner and civilian exchanges. According to Umerov, Russia agreed to return individuals who have been held in captivity for more than three years.
Umerov also noted that the upcoming humanitarian exchange will involve over 1,200 people, as cited by RBC-Ukraine.
Russia Proposes Online Working Groups and Humanitarian Ceasefires
Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, said that Russia proposed creating three online working groups to streamline future discussions and save time and resources.
He added that the sides are currently finalizing a prisoner exchange based on a “250-for-250” formula.
Key Proposals from the Russian Side
- Short humanitarian ceasefires lasting 24 to 48 hours to retrieve the wounded and the dead.
- An additional 1,200 prisoners of war to be exchanged on both sides.
- A proposal to return 3,000 bodies of deceased Ukrainian servicemen.
- Russia and Ukraine’s positions on formal memorandums remain “quite far apart,” but both agreed to continue communication.
- Russia has fully processed a list of 339 Ukrainian children, with some already returned and work ongoing for the rest.
Summit Proposal and Conditions
Medinsky stated that any potential summit between Putin and Zelensky must be carefully prepared, with all conditions clearly defined in advance, and the meeting must represent a true culmination point in the peace process.
Ninth POW Exchange Completed
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine and Russia have now conducted their ninth prisoner-of-war exchange under the Istanbul framework. To date, over 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been repatriated, including many who had been held for over three years.
