By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russia and Ukraine have begun one of the largest prisoner exchanges in their three-year war after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv delegates in more than three years.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the first stage of a major prison swap with Russia took place Friday in Turkey, with 390 people released.
More were due to be released over the weekend following last week’s Russian-Ukrainian agreement in Istanbul that 1,000 prisoners of war would be freed on each side, officials said.
The talks in Turkey did not produce a permanent ceasefire. Still, U.S. President Donald J. Trump expressed hope that the prisoner swap could be “the beginning of something bigger,” apparently referring to a peace deal.
“We are bringing our people home. The first stage of the “1000-for-1000” exchange agreement has been carried out,” added President Zelenskyy in separate remarks.
“This agreement was reached during the meeting in Türkiye, and it is crucial to implement it in full,” he stressed, using Turkey’s official name.
“Today – 390 people. On Saturday and Sunday, we expect the exchange to continue. Thank you to everyone who is helping and working 24/7 to bring Ukrainian men and women back home,” Zelenskyy remarked in a statement monitored by Worthy News.
REMAINING IN CAPTIVITY
However, “It is very important to return everyone who remains in captivity. We are verifying every surname and every detail about each person. We will continue our diplomatic efforts to make such steps possible,” Zelenskyy noted.
The United Arab Emirates mediated previous prisoner exchanges and the Vatican also encouraged the freeing of prisoners of war.
It was seen as a small, hopeful sign. The release of prisoners of war was seen as a small sign of hope in an armed conflict that killed and injured hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Intelligence officials suggest this is by far Europe’s deadliest war since World War II, although neither side publishes accurate casualty figures.
Amid the clashes, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that his forces are now creating what he called “a buffer zone” in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region.
That could help protect Russia’s Belgorod border region, where frequent Ukrainian attacks have embarrassed the Kremlin.
He said, “Considering the drone raids, actions of sabotage and reconnaissance groups that hunt for civilian transport, including ambulances, agricultural machinery, both women and children being killed and injured – I have already said that a decision was made to create the necessary security buffer zone along the borders.”
MANH CIVILIANS KILLED
However, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have also died as Russian forces have besieged and bombarded Ukrainian cities.
With the death toll mounting, Ukraine had pushed for a 30-day ceasefire, but Moscow so far rejected this.
Russia first wants Ukraine to hand over territories and a pledge that it won’t join the NATO military alliance, Worthy News learned.
As clashes continue, there is concern in neighboring countries that the war could spread.
Poland, which borders war-torn Ukraine, said it had intercepted a Russian SU-24 aircraft performing dangerous maneuvers over Polish airspace overnight.
Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the joint operational command for allied NATO military forces in Europe issued the order to intercept the aircraft.
He explained that Polish jets located the Russian aircraft, intercepted it, and effectively deterred it.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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