Trump: "Major" Prisoner Exchange Between Russia and Ukraine Completed

Trump Announces Completion of Major Prisoner Exchange Agreement
"Congratulations to Both Sides on the Negotiations"
Details of the Exchange Remain Unclear

On May 23 (local time), President Donald Trump of the United States announced that Russia and Ukraine had carried out a prisoner exchange, which had been agreed upon through direct talks between the two countries.

On his social media platform Truth Social, President Trump stated, "A major prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine has just been completed." He added, "This will take effect soon. Congratulations to both sides on the negotiations. Perhaps this could lead to something bigger."

From left, Donald Trump, President of the United States; Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine; Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

However, he did not provide any additional details regarding the prisoner exchange.

A senior Ukrainian official told the Associated Press on the morning of May 23 that while the prisoner exchange was indeed underway, it had not yet been completed.

The agreement for the prisoner exchange was reached during direct peace talks between the two countries held in Istanbul on May 16. At that time, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. The total of 2,000 people returning to their home countries marks the largest exchange since the war began in February 2022.

Afterwards, on May 22, Russia sent Ukraine a list of 1,000 prisoners it sought to have repatriated, and Ukraine, on the same day, provided Russia with a list of 1,000 prisoners it wished to receive, as part of the preparations for the exchange.

However, it remains uncertain whether the implementation of the prisoner exchange will serve as momentum for a ceasefire agreement. Despite the negotiations, Russia and Ukraine continue to engage in hostilities. President Trump, who has acted as a mediator, has emphasized the importance of direct bilateral dialogue between the two countries and has even indicated that he may withdraw from the negotiations if an agreement cannot be reached.