President Donald Trump announced a major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine on his Truth Social platform. Despite this positive step, fighting continues along the front lines with Russian attacks, while Turkish officials have characterized the swap as a confidence-building measure. Could this swap truly lead to “something big,” like peace agreements?
Trump Announces Major Prisoner Exchange
President Donald Trump made headlines by announcing a significant prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine on his Truth Social platform. In his post, Trump wrote: “A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???”
The exchange follows an agreement reached during talks in Istanbul, where both nations committed to swapping 1,000 prisoners each. This marks the first phase of implementation, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming the return of 390 Ukrainians and expressing that more releases are expected.
390 Ukrainians will be returning home this weekend as a part of the 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap agreed upon during direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. pic.twitter.com/LZ6gWhOJgP
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 23, 2025
Largest Prisoner Swap Since War Began
The current exchange represents the largest prisoner swap since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed receiving the same number of individuals from Ukraine, with the exchange taking place at the Belarus border.
Released Russian prisoners were transported to Belarus for medical treatment following their handover. Families of the freed prisoners gathered anxiously, hoping for news of their loved ones as the exchange process unfolded.
russia and ukraine have swapped 175 prisoners
one of the largest exchanges since the war began pic.twitter.com/SjfsChVWVu
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) March 19, 2025
Diplomatic Implications Amid Ongoing Conflict
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the prisoner exchange as a “confidence-building measure” with plans for additional talks in the future. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that Moscow would present Ukraine with a draft peace agreement following the successful exchange.
Despite this diplomatic breakthrough, fighting continues along the front lines with recent Russian attacks on Odesa and Kherson regions resulting in civilian casualties. Key conditions for peace remain unresolved, with Ukraine demanding a ceasefire and Russia insisting on Ukrainian troop withdrawals from territories Russia has annexed.
European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately delaying peace efforts while pursuing military objectives on the ground. The Russian Defense Ministry separately reported shooting down 788 Ukrainian drones, while Ukraine’s air force noted continued Russian drone and missile attacks throughout the country.
The Kremlin has previously mentioned discussions between Russian President Putin and Trump regarding a separate bilateral prisoner swap with the United States. Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine has reportedly been rejected by Putin, highlighting the complex challenges that remain despite this prisoner exchange milestone.