US EditionRussia and Ukraine Agree to Large-Scale Prisoner Swap, Core Disputes Remain Unresolved
- On May 16, 2025, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held face-to-face negotiations in Istanbul for the first time in more than three years, reaching an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange.
- The talks followed years of conflict after Russia's 2022 invasion, with Ukraine demanding an immediate ceasefire while Russia introduced new territorial demands considered unacceptable by Kyiv.
- Both sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, present detailed ceasefire proposals, and consider a meeting between Presidents Zelensky and Putin, though progress on core issues remained limited.
- Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the talks, while Zelensky accused Putin of being too fearful to meet in person and described Moscow's demands as unacceptable and lacking seriousness.
- The prisoner exchange marks significant movement, but unresolved disputes and rejected ceasefire proposals indicate the conflict is far from ending soon.
412 Articles
412 Articles
Russia-Ukraine peace talks end with a deal to swap POWs but no cease-fire
ISTANBUL, Turkey — The first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks since the early weeks of Moscow’s 2022 invasion ended after less than two hours Friday, and while both sides agreed on a large prisoner swap, they clearly remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting.
Russia, Ukraine Agree to Prisoner Swap
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to each swap 1,000 prisoners. The decision was reached during peace talks that lasted less than two hours. A senior Ukrainian official claimed Russia made “unacceptable demands” to withdraw Ukrainian soldiers from key areas, the Associated Press reported. The official noted that Ukraine’s priorities included an immediate ceasefire and a pathway to diplomacy, which is “just like the U.S., European partners, and othe…
Russia and Ukraine hold first direct talks in 3 years, agree on prisoner swap, but no truce
In their first direct talks in over three years, Russia and Ukraine on Friday agreed on a large-scale prisoner exchange, said would continue talking on a potential ceasefire and discussed a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
