Russia and Ukraine have reached a landmark agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war (POWs) each, marking one of the largest such swaps since the onset of the conflict.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, leading Kyiv’s delegation, announced the deal to reporters following talks in Istanbul on Friday. “We know the date, but we’re not going to say it yet,” Umerov stated, withholding further details.

Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, confirmed the agreement in remarks to Russian state media shortly after. The exchange follows a recent swap on May 6, when Ukraine secured the return of 205 soldiers in a one-for-one deal, highlighting the rare cooperation between the warring sides.

The talks, hosted in Turkey, come amid heightened diplomatic activity. Ukraine’s delegation, including Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Umerov, arrived in Istanbul after Kyiv accepted Moscow’s proposal for discussions. Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian team met with U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to coordinate positions.

However, the meeting has been marred by mutual distrust. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who left for Albania before the talks, criticized Russia for sending a “sham delegation” led by Medinsky, a Kremlin aide, rather than top officials like Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Western officials echoed Kyiv’s concerns, suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s absence and the delegation’s composition signal a lack of seriousness about peace efforts.

Russia framed the Istanbul meeting as a continuation of stalled 2022 negotiations, emphasizing the need to address the “root causes” of the conflict. Meanwhile, Ukraine and its allies have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 as a prerequisite for broader peace talks—a proposal Moscow has ignored.

The prisoner exchange deal offers a glimmer of progress, though Kyiv’s earlier proposal for an “all-for-all” swap has not gained traction. Ukraine has not disclosed the total number of its POWs held in Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump initially expressed optimism about the talks, hinting he might attend if progress was made. However, he later tempered expectations, stating that significant advancements are unlikely before a planned meeting with Putin.

As both sides navigate fragile negotiations, the prisoner swap agreement stands as a rare point of agreement in an otherwise stalled peace process. (ILKHA)