Trump Confirms Major Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap ‘Could Lead to Something Big’ [WATCH]

A long-anticipated prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine has begun, according to a senior Ukrainian official, offering one of the few signs of tangible progress in ongoing international efforts to bring an end to more than three years of war.

The Ukrainian official, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, confirmed Friday that the exchange process was underway, though not yet complete.

The statement came shortly after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, stating, “A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine.”

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He added, “This could lead to something big???” without offering further specifics.

While Russian officials have not publicly confirmed the swap, the agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side was reached during a May 16 meeting in Istanbul, hosted by Turkish officials.

That meeting marked the first face-to-face peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators since the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the prisoner exchange a “confidence-building measure” following the meeting and stated that both parties had agreed in principle to continue discussions in the future.

However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that no agreement had been reached regarding a location or schedule for follow-up talks.

While the prisoner exchange is viewed by some as a hopeful development, broader diplomatic efforts remain deadlocked.

European officials have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for stalling negotiations while continuing military operations to seize additional Ukrainian territory.

The Istanbul talks revealed sharp divides on the terms of a potential ceasefire or peace deal. Ukraine, with the backing of its Western allies, continues to call for a temporary ceasefire as a starting point toward ending the conflict.

However, the Kremlin has rejected this approach, insisting that any pause in hostilities must be accompanied by a freeze on Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine and an end to Ukraine’s ongoing mobilization campaign.

A senior Ukrainian source, speaking anonymously, said Russia introduced new terms in Istanbul that had not previously been discussed.

According to the source, Russian negotiators demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from extensive areas of territory—an ultimatum Ukraine considers unacceptable.

The withdrawal demand aligns with long-standing conditions from Moscow.

President Putin has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine must pull out of four regions that Russia claimed to annex in September 2022, though Russian forces have never fully controlled those areas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to these developments by warning that continued rejection of a ceasefire, paired with new demands, indicates Russia’s intent to prolong the conflict.

Zelensky added that such actions would justify stronger sanctions from the international community.

The White House and National Security Council have not yet issued any official statement regarding the exchange or the Istanbul negotiations.

While the progress on prisoner swaps provides a rare positive development in the conflict, both Ukrainian and Western officials remain skeptical about Russia’s willingness to engage in a meaningful path toward peace without significant shifts in its current military strategy and territorial ambitions.

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