Russia and Ukraine ‘Completed’ Major Prisoner Swap: Trump

New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday announced what he called a “major prisoner swap” between Russia and Ukraine, lauding the development as a significant step in ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in Eastern Europe.

In a post on social media, Trump said, “A major prisoner swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly. Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???”

The announcement follows recent negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv held in Istanbul, where the two sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each—marking one of the largest such swaps since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. While previous exchanges have involved smaller groups, including a recent release of 205 soldiers by each side, this new deal signals renewed momentum in humanitarian and diplomatic channels.

Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed on Thursday, May 22, that Kyiv had submitted a list of 1,000 prisoners of war to Russia. Moscow has since acknowledged receipt of the list and agreed to reciprocate.

In a potentially wider-reaching development, the Kremlin also revealed this week that President Vladimir Putin and President Trump discussed a separate U.S.-Russia bilateral prisoner exchange, though details remain undisclosed.

Despite the diplomatic progress, major challenges remain. Ukraine reportedly pushed for a 30-day ceasefire ahead of the Istanbul talks—a proposal Russia rejected. However, both delegations agreed to present proposals for a future ceasefire, according to Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.