Russia and Ukraine agree on prisoner swap, but no ceasefire deal

Senior officials from Russia and Ukraine held direct talks on Friday for the first time in more than three years. They were unable to agree on a ceasefire deal, but they came to terms on an exchange of prisoners. One thousand POWs from each side are to be freed. Both sides are also expected to continue discussions. The delegations met in Istanbul, Turkey, for about two hours of direct talks.

The Russian team was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov represented Kyiv. Attending as a mediator was Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been calling for a summit with Putin. The two sides have wide gaps remaining between them, and further complications are expected ahead of the next round of talks.