Ukraine and Russia agreed in Istanbul on the largest prisoner of war exchange.

Vladimir Medinsky, who leads the Russian delegation in the peace talks on Ukraine held in Istanbul, stated this Friday, after the meeting, that Moscow was satisfied with the progress made and remains willing to continue the dialogue with Kiev.

According to Medinsky, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement to carry out a exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war on each side in the coming days, which represents one of the largest exchanges since the war began.

Representatives of both countries met in Istanbul this Friday in their first face-to-face for peace in more than three years, amid growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to reach a solution to the bloodiest conflict Europe has experienced since World War II.

"The Ukrainian side requested direct talks between the leaders of both states. We have taken note of this request," Medinsky stated.

The Russian conditions for peace

During the meeting, the Russian representatives reiterated previously established conditions, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the four regions partially occupied by Moscow—Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—as well as the definitive recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, a territory under Kremlin control since 2014. These demands, which Kiev has consistently rejected, remain one of the main obstacles to advancing the dialogue.

The Russian government, led by President Vladimir Putin, also insists that any solution to the conflict must address what it considers the "root causes," particularly Ukraine's intention to join NATO, perceived by Moscow as a strategic threat on its border.

According to Putin, it is "imperative" that both Crimea and the occupied regions be internationally recognized as part of Russian territory, something that Ukraine and the majority of the international community refuse to accept.

The Ukrainian demands

Meanwhile, Ukraine's position remains inflexible. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that they will not accept any territorial concessions and that any peace agreement must include the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea.

In this context, Kiev considers it crucial to obtain "security guarantees" from its Western allies to prevent future aggressions, with its main goal being full integration into NATO, an aspiration that Moscow categorically rejects.

Additionally, Zelensky has discussed with European leaders the possibility of forming a Western military force that, with NATO's support, could be deployed in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping scheme. This initiative has also been dismissed by Russia, which labels it as a direct threat to its security.