Overview

• Ukraine and Russia agreed during Istanbul talks to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, marking the largest swap since the conflict began.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting to coordinate preparations, emphasizing the importance of verifying individual details on Russia's submitted list.
• Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is overseeing the process, supported by multiple Ukrainian agencies, including intelligence and the president's office.
• The exchange follows the first direct peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations since 2022, though a proposed 30-day ceasefire was rejected by Moscow.
• The Kremlin confirmed it has received Ukraine's list of desired releases, with both sides working to finalize the agreement quickly.