Ukraine, Russia Agree on 1,200 POW Exchange

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war as part of ongoing negotiations following a third round of talks in Istanbul. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that work is underway to finalize the lists of those to be exchanged, which will include both soldiers and civilians, though no specific date has been set. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has secured the release of thousands of prisoners through multiple exchanges, with this latest agreement continuing that trend amid stalled broader peace efforts. Kyiv has emphasized the return of abducted Ukrainian children and an immediate ceasefire as priorities, while Moscow has demanded a halt to Western arms deliveries as a precondition for further negotiations. The prisoner exchange agreement was discussed during high-level meetings, with Ukraine proposing a four-party summit including Presidents Zelensky, Putin, Trump, and Erdoğan by the end of August to advance peace talks. Concurrently, conflict continues with ongoing drone and missile strikes affecting both nations, underscoring the fragile state of the ceasefire efforts.