US-Russia Prisoner Swap Negotiations Near Nine-Person Exchange

Moscow and Washington are actively negotiating a new prisoner swap involving nine individuals from each country, following a recent phone call between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Despite President Trump's recent harsh public criticism of Putin's actions in Ukraine, the Kremlin has emphasized that these remarks will not derail the ongoing diplomatic efforts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that while the two sides may not agree on everything, there remains political will to implement the prisoner exchange agreement. Trump accused Putin of escalating the conflict and blamed Ukrainian and U.S. leadership for the war, yet the Kremlin reaffirmed its commitment to the prisoner swap negotiations. This development represents a significant diplomatic engagement amid the broader conflict between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine. Both sides continue work based on the understanding reached during the leaders' call last week.