This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine and the Russian Federation have reached an agreement to continue the exchange of prisoners of war following the conclusion of the third round of negotiations in Istanbul, which took place on July 23. For the first time during such meetings, the return of civilians held in detention was also discussed.
Focus on Long-Term Prisoners and Exchange Format
During the press conference, representatives of the Ukrainian delegation emphasized that special attention would be given to servicemen who have been in captivity for over three years. According to the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, a new stage of exchange is planned under the formula “1200 for 1200.”
The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, proposed to hold a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia — Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin — by the end of August. It is also planned to involve the presidents of Turkey and the USA — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Donald Trump — in the negotiations.
Possible Ceasefire and Conditions for New Negotiations
The issue of organizing a fourth round of negotiations will be considered after the current agreements are fulfilled. In addition to the exchange of prisoners, the parties discussed the conditions for a ceasefire and a potential meeting between the presidents of both countries.
Before the Istanbul negotiations, Rustem Umerov and the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, visited Ankara, where they discussed current issues with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
On July 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Kyiv would insist on an urgent and complete cessation of hostilities by Russia. He commented on the nighttime shelling of the Sumy region, during which Russian drones attacked the region’s energy infrastructure. As a result of the damage, over 220,000 residents were left without electricity.
“No one is expecting an easy road. Of course, it will be a very difficult conversation. The projects are diametrically opposed,” said Putin’s spokesperson regarding expectations from the negotiations.
According to Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov, the parties are preparing to discuss draft memorandums regarding the resolution of the situation, as well as further exchanges of detained persons.