Ukraine Pushes for Big Prisoner Swap with Russia

Ukraine is actively working towards a significant prisoner exchange with Russia, aiming to bring home 1,200 Ukrainians currently held captive.

Diplomatic Efforts

President Zelenskiy and his top security advisor, Rustem Umerov, have been vocal about this initiative. Umerov recently returned from meetings in Turkey and the UAE, where discussions focused on reviving the prisoner swap process. The goal is to adhere to the framework established in Istanbul last year, where Turkey facilitated a large-scale exchange between Ukraine and Russia.

Challenges and Progress

While there have been some exchanges since the Istanbul agreement, they have been irregular due to the complexities of the ongoing war. Umerov mentioned that further meetings are planned to finalize the details of the exchange.

Holiday Goal

Ukraine is determined to bring the prisoners home before the holidays. Umerov emphasized that efforts are being made around the clock to achieve this. However, there has been no response from Russia regarding Ukraine's plans.

Persistent Efforts

This is not Ukraine's first attempt at securing the release of prisoners. Since the war began in 2022, Ukraine has been working on prisoner exchanges, albeit with mixed results. Despite the challenges, Ukraine remains committed to the process, hoping for a successful outcome this time.