Ukrainian officials are actively working towards a new prisoner exchange with Russia, which may occur in the near future. The head of Ukraine’s Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, indicated that negotiations are ongoing.
In response to inquiries about the timing of a possible exchange, Budanov expressed optimism, stating,
“We are working on this. I hope that it will happen this week.”
When asked about the scale of the exchange, Budanov described it as involving a “significant” number of individuals, potentially exceeding previous exchanges. He noted,
“A significant number. Larger than last time. Let’s put it that way.”
The last exchange took place recently, resulting in the return of 157 Ukrainians, including 150 military personnel and 7 civilians. This marked the first such exchange in nearly five months, facilitated by trilateral negotiations among Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Abu Dhabi.
Prior to this, Russia had deliberately stalled agreements, hindering the return of Ukrainian military and civilian detainees. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the aggressor state currently holds up to seven thousand Ukrainian prisoners.
Ukrainian officials are making strides towards a new prisoner exchange with Russia, with expectations for a significant number of detainees to be involved. The last exchange occurred after a prolonged period of stalled negotiations, highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts.