Kirill Budanov, head of the President’s Office, announced ongoing negotiations for new prisoner exchanges, expressing optimism that a significant exchange could occur during Easter.
This statement was made at the “Together for Return” conference, commemorating the fourth anniversary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Budanov noted that since the establishment of the Headquarters, over 70 exchanges have taken place, resulting in the return of more than 8,500 Ukrainians.
He stated, “Our joint efforts continue daily, negotiations are ongoing, and new exchanges will happen. I sincerely hope that we will witness a major exchange during Easter. We will do everything necessary to make this happen.”
Budanov emphasized that many exchanges would have been nearly impossible without the support of Ukraine’s international partners, particularly the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
On March 5, Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner exchange, with 200 individuals, including soldiers from the Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service, border guards, and National Guardsmen, returning home.
The following day, March 6, another exchange saw 300 Ukrainian servicemen and two civilians released from Russian captivity.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, on March 6, the Ukrainian side transferred 300 captured Russian servicemen, who are currently in Belarus before being sent to Russia.
Ukrainian officials are optimistic about a significant prisoner exchange coinciding with Easter, following a series of recent exchanges that have successfully repatriated thousands of individuals. Ongoing negotiations and international partnerships are crucial to these efforts.