Kyiv: Ukraine has launched an urgent diplomatic effort to secure the release of 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners currently held in Russia, signalling one of the largest proposed prisoner exchanges since the conflict began. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a late-night address, said the government is pushing āon all frontsā to revive stalled negotiations and bring home soldiers and civilians who have spent months and in some cases years in captivity.
Zelenskiy said Kyiv is working intensely to achieve the swap before the New Year and Christmas, offering families hope that their loved ones may return home for the festive season. Without revealing specific details for security reasons, the President noted that ānumerous meetings, calls, and negotiationsā are underway to break the deadlock and re-establish consistent prisoner exchange mechanisms.
For many Ukrainian families, the prospect of a large-scale exchange is emotionally charged. Some have kept vigil for months, unable to confirm the condition or whereabouts of missing relatives. A successful negotiation could mark a significant humanitarian breakthrough in a deeply fractured war landscape.
Ukraineās National Security Council head, Rustem Umerov, has been leading international discussions, having recently held talks in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Both countries have previously facilitated sensitive negotiations, and Kyiv hopes they can help revive the Istanbul agreements a set of protocols established in 2022 that had enabled organized and relatively smooth prisoner swaps between the two nations.
Umerov said his team is pushing to āreturn to the Istanbul format,ā which he described as a framework that once allowed for regular exchanges but has since been disrupted by intensified fighting and hardened political positions. For months, exchanges have been irregular, dependent on battlefield conditions and mutual willingness that often fluctuates.
Despite Kyivās optimistic tone, Ukrainian officials acknowledge that significant procedural and organizational issues still need to be ironed out. These include verification of prisoner lists, transportation routes, security arrangements, and the involvement of intermediary states.
Umerov confirmed that further consultations are being planned to discuss these logistical matters, emphasizing that the humanitarian urgency of the situation must override political friction. Ukraine maintains that the 1,200 prisoners a mix of military personnel and civilians must be prioritized as part of the countryās broader mission to protect its citizens.
So far, Russia has offered no official response to Ukraineās call for the resumption of prisoner exchanges. Analysts say Moscow may be weighing the political and military implications of agreeing to such a large swap, particularly at a time when battle lines remain fluid and trust between the two nations is thin.
Nevertheless, previous exchanges even during moments of high tension have shown that humanitarian negotiations can proceed even without larger political agreements. Kyiv hopes that precedent will hold once again.
If successful, this exchange would mark one of the largest coordinated releases of Ukrainian captives since the war began. Beyond the humanitarian impact, it would deliver a major morale boost to a nation entering another winter of uncertainty. For the families of the detained, the stakes are deeply personal; for Ukraine, the effort represents a reaffirmation of its commitment to its people even amid ongoing war.
As talks continue in Ankara, Abu Dhabi, and Kyiv, the coming days will reveal whether Ukraineās push can overcome diplomatic resistance and open a rare humanitarian window in an otherwise brutal conflict.