“Our position — if the Russians reject a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to killings, tough sanctions must follow," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X.Ercin Erturk/Anadolu via Getty Images

Russia and Ukraine agree on 1,000-prisoner exchange — but no ceasefire – POLITICO

by · POLITICO

KYIV ― Talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul ended with the two sides pledging to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war but fell short of an unconditional ceasefire deal.

The swap would be the largest since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ahead of Friday’s meeting, Ukraine pushed for a full, unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days, an “all-for-all” exchange of POWs, and a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents — at which point real peace talks would begin in earnest as long as a ceasefire held.