Ukraine, Russia Swap Hundreds of War Prisoners in 2nd Leg of Biggest Exchange

Contact Your Elected Officials

At a May 16 meeting in Turkey, Russian and Ukrainian representatives agreed they’d each release 1,000 prisoners in the largest exchange of the ongoing war.

Russia and Ukraine swapped 307 of their prisoners on May 24, as part of a larger multi-day exchange.

The Saturday prisoner swap came the day after both countries released 390 of their prisoners of war. During a face-to-face meeting in Turkey last week, representatives from the two warring countries reached an agreement for each side to release 1,000 of the prisoners theyโ€™ve taken in more than three years of fighting.

โ€œToday is the second day of the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange that we managed to negotiate in Tรผrkiye. In just these two days, 697 people have been brought home. We expect the process to continue tomorrow,โ€ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a post on the social media platform X, alongside photos of some of the returned Ukrainian troops.

In a separate press statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the released Russian troops had been transferred from Ukrainian custody to Belarus for an initial medical and psychological evaluation before they would return to their home country for further treatment and rehabilitation.

โ€œThe large-scale exchange initiated by the Russian side will continue,โ€ Russiaโ€™s Defense Ministry added.

This multi-day exchange is the largest prisoner swap since the war broke out in February 2022, and a result of the first round of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian representatives since March of 2022.

The prisoner exchange comes as a sign of progress in what has otherwise been a grinding effort to reach a lasting cease-fire and a peaceful resolution to the war.

Following the Russia-Ukraine talks in Turkey, both sides agreed to prepare proposals for how a cease-fire could proceed.

On May 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Moscow would close out the prisoner exchange before putting forward its ideas for a cease-fire.

โ€œAs soon as the exchange of prisoners of war is over, by that time we will be ready to hand over to the Ukrainian side a draft of this document, which the Russian side is now finalizing,โ€ Lavrov said, according to Russiaโ€™s state-run TASS news agency.

Both sides have expressed interest in some cease-fire arrangements, but they havenโ€™t been on the same page about when they should pause the fighting, and for how long the pause should last.

Byย Ryan Morgan

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Blind Manโ€™s Shutdown

Congress is playing the equivalent of Bind Man's Bluff. With the shout โ€œtag your itโ€ they seek to blame the other party for the government shutdown.

A Reluctant Acknowledgment: What Conservatives Can Admire in Everyday Progressives

Admirable ideological qualities seen in liberals and left-wing individuals are those of the everyday believer not their political leadership.

Ensuring Domestic Tranquility

The Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution establishes it as the highest law of the land, taking precedence over conflicting state laws.

Pam Bondi, Zohran Mamdani, and the ADL: Censorious Peas in a Pod

Typically, the only four circumstances under which the leadership...

Shut it Down – Shut it Down

Shut down and dismantle every federal agency not essential to citizens' life, health, or liberty โ€” phase them out and end their power. permanently!

Trump Weighs on Cutting Agencies as Government Shutdown Enters Day 2

Trump to meet with OMB Dir. Vought to decide which agencies face cuts and whether reductions will be temporary or permanent.

Is There a 9/11 WTC and 9/10 Charlie Kirk Connection?

Strange parallels in online stories raise questions about whether Israelis and Mossad intelligence are our allies or adversaries.

ACLU Sues ICE to Release Records of Detainment Facilities

ACLU has filed a lawsuit against ICE, seeking to compel the agency to disclose records related to specific operations, according to the complaint.

Pam Bondi, Zohran Mamdani, and the ADL: Censorious Peas in a Pod

Typically, the only four circumstances under which the leadership...

Department of Energy Cancels $7.5 Billion in Project Funding

The Dept of Energy (DOE) said on Oct. 2 that it had terminated 321 federal grants funding 223 projects, amounting to about $7.56 billion in cuts.

White House Withdraws EJ Antoniโ€™s Nomination to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

The White House has withdrawn economist EJ Antoniโ€™s nomination to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the White House confirmed on Sept. 30.

US to Impose 100 Percent Tariffs on Foreign-Made Movies, Trump Says

President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 29 that he will impose a 100 percent tariff on all movies produced outside the United States.

Trump to Host Netanyahu at White House to Discuss Gaza Peace Plan

President Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House on Sept. 29 to discuss a ceasefire and broader peace plan for Gaza.
spot_img

Related Articles