Ukraine Moves to Revive Istanbul Prisoner-Exchange Framework to Free 1,200 Detainees

Overview

• President Volodymyr Zelensky and security chief Rustem Umerov said Kyiv is working to restart large-scale swaps under the 2022 Istanbul arrangements.
• Umerov reported consultations in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates and an agreement in principle to reactivate the mechanism for releasing about 1,200 Ukrainians.
• Follow-on technical meetings are expected to set verification, logistics and timing for the next exchanges.
• Kyiv says more than 5,800 people have returned from captivity since 2022, and it continues to press for an all-for-all swap that Russia has rejected.
• Moscow had not publicly commented on the initiative as Russian officials claimed earlier to have destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones overnight.