**Ukraine and Russia Prepare to Exchange 1,200 Prisoners of War**
Work is underway between Ukraine and Russia as the two warring parties prepare to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war (POWs). In a statement on August 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that an agreement has been reached on the exchange.
According to Zelensky, the work on the lists is ongoing, and Kyiv is also working to “unblock the return of our civilians, verifying data on each individual by name.” The exchange was initially agreed upon during a third round of peace talks in Istanbul on July 23. The negotiations have been ongoing since May, with Moscow rejecting a ceasefire but agreeing to a prisoner exchange.
**A Step Towards Peace?**
The proposed exchange is a significant step towards finding some measure of peace in the war-torn region. Since the second round of peace talks on June 2, Kyiv and Moscow have carried out nine exchanges stemming from the Istanbul agreement. These exchanges have seen the return of hundreds of prisoners on both sides.
**A Record-Breaking Swap**
The initial round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, held on May 16, marked the first direct negotiations between the two parties since early 2022. While no breakthrough toward ending the war was achieved, the sides agreed on a “1,000-for-1,000” prisoner exchange, which was the largest swap of the war.
**Ukraine’s Progress in Exchanges**
Since the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has brought home over 5,857 people from Russian captivity via exchanges. President Zelensky made this announcement on July 28, highlighting Kyiv’s efforts to secure the release of its citizens.
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