Ukraine, Russia discuss 1,000-for-1,000 POW swap, ceasefire in Istanbul

“The goal of our negotiations was to discuss a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. We are also potentially preparing a meeting between the leaders [Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin],” Umerov stated.

He confirmed both sides are exploring a 1,000-for-1,000 POW swap, with Ukraine working on implementation details, adding that further steps would be announced later. 

On May 16, a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations began in Istanbul for the first time in more than three years.

According to Sky News, during the talks, Russia put forward demands that are unrealistic and far exceed anything that had been discussed previously, a Ukrainian diplomatic source said.

According to the source, Russia's demands include the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from its own territory as a condition for a ceasefire. There were other "unacceptable conditions," the source said.

On the evening of May 15, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the composition of the Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul. The Ukrainian delegation is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and will also include representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Presidential Office, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the General Staff.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin sent his aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin and Chief of the General Staff intelligence (GRU) Igor Kostyukov to Istanbul.

In turn, during the summit of the European Political Community in Tirana on May 16, Zelenskyy said that the Russian delegation that arrived for talks in Istanbul was incompetent and lacked decision-making authority.