Ukraine and Russia are holding the largest prisoner exchange of the war, swapping 1,000 captives each, according to announcements made on May 23. The deal was publicly confirmed by former U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, although it remained unclear at the time whether the exchange had formally begun.

“If completed, the exchange would be the largest prisoner swap of the war to date and could help build trust,” The New York Times reported, underscoring the symbolic and diplomatic weight of the move.

Türkiye Talks Yield One Tangible Result

Negotiations in Türkiye last week between Kyiv and Moscow—the first direct talks in months—produced limited progress. However, both sides agreed to exchange detailed lists of 1,000 prisoners. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, “The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity became perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey.”

Despite the symbolic success of the exchange deal, broader efforts to secure a ceasefire remain bogged down. Ukraine and the United States have pushed for an unconditional 30-day truce, while Russia insists that any ceasefire must begin with Ukraine relinquishing currently held territory—a nonstarter for Kyiv.

The prisoner swap comes as international mediators continue to press for confidence-building steps between the two sides. Analysts say that while symbolic, such exchanges may not be enough to bridge the deeper divides over territory and sovereignty.

With the war grinding on and diplomatic overtures yielding few concessions, the success or failure of the swap could shape the trajectory of future negotiations.