Zelenskyy announces breakthrough: Ukraine and Russia on brink of major deal
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) – Signs of major progress have emerged in long-stalled negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced on Sunday that a key initiative regarding the exchange of prisoners of war between the two countries has accelerated and a major deal could be reached soon. Zelensky said that Ukraine is making efforts to bring back approximately 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners of war home soon.
Regarding the release of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine, Zelensky posted on the social media platform "X," "We are confident that the process of exchanging prisoners of war will be resumed. Numerous meetings, talks, and phone conversations are currently underway to ensure this." He stressed that this step is crucial for the return of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have been imprisoned in Russian jails for months. Umerov said that in talks mediated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both sides have agreed to resume prisoner exchange agreements. The goal is to release 1,200 Ukrainians through Turkish mediation. This agreement is an attempt to revive the process that stalled in recent months when Russia refused to release several Ukrainian soldiers. Russia did not immediately comment on the claim, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is considering all proposals.
This new development comes on the 1,361st day of the Ukraine-Russia war, when military tensions between the two sides are at their peak. More than 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and thousands taken prisoner in the conflict, which has been ongoing since June 2022. Experts believe that a prisoner exchange could be a positive step toward peace talks on humanitarian grounds, although Russia's demands, such as full control of the Donbas region, remain a hurdle. In another development, Russian drone strikes caused serious damage to the energy infrastructure of Ukraine's southern Odessa region. The State Emergency Service reported that the strikes, which continued until Sunday night, damaged several facilities, including a solar power plant, disrupting local power supply. Four people were killed and 17 injured in the attacks. The Ukrainian Air Force said on Sunday that Russia fired a total of 176 drones and one ballistic missile overnight between Saturday and Sunday. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 139 drones, while the remaining drones managed to infiltrate the region. On the other hand, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its forces thwarted 57 Ukrainian drone attacks launched from Odessa.