Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday the start of the third phase of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, and also provided detailed information to the public about the current state of negotiations and the goals of the Ukrainian side in this area
According to him, the prisoner exchange process has been continued, and another 307 Ukrainian defenders have been released and reunited with their families, including enlisted soldiers and sergeants who had been in captivity. This is not the first significant operation: most of these individuals are members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but there are also representatives of the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service who have returned home. Overall, over the past two days, Ukrainian soldiers have been returning from captivity to their homeland — the total now reaching 697. It is especially important to note that a significant portion of those freed are individuals who were captured during battles in Donetsk region, most of them in 2022, as well as military personnel from Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv regions, and Luhansk. This demonstrates the systemic and targeted efforts of the Ukrainian side to bring home its citizens. At the same time, the president stated that there is still a large amount of work ahead: on the following day, a third stage of exchange is planned, during which another one thousand Ukrainians are expected to be released. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s main strategic goal is to free all those currently held in Russia, regardless of the circumstances and level of involvement. This is a collective effort for Ukrainian intelligence agencies, diplomats, and the entire state. The president underlined that this process requires collective efforts and maximum political will to bring every Ukrainian, who may have fallen victim to Russian aggression, back home. In the context of the full spectrum of events and military actions, Volodymyr Zelensky did not overlook the issue of Russian shelling of Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. He stressed that Russia is filling the war with new tragedies, killings, and destruction every day, continually highlighting how tough and uncompromising this struggle is. The president called on international partners — the United States, the European Union countries, and others — to take a more decisive and firm response to Russia’s actions. According to him, the world must understand that Russia is deliberately delaying the war to strengthen its position and gain additional leverage to impose its terms for peace. Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his readiness for any diplomatic efforts that could yield results and ensure true security for the Ukrainian people. However, he stressed that Russia currently shows no willingness for constructive dialogue, so Ukraine must stay alert and take all possible steps to increase pressure. Invoking active measures in the coming week, he believes that it should be a time of renewed insistence and determination in the pursuit of peace. In his words, now more than ever, it is essential to focus on international pressure and diplomatic efforts to force Russia to seek ways to end the war and engage in genuine dialogue. Thus, the Ukrainian president made a clear point that the return of prisoners is not just a matter of human compassion, but a strategic priority. He assured that Ukraine is exerting maximum effort to free every Ukrainian held in captivity and called on the global community to support this course. At the same time, he reaffirmed that the war continues, and Russia must be held accountable not only for the dead and destruction but also for prolonging the conflict for its own interests. Therefore, in the coming days, Ukrainian authorities pledge to continue their diplomatic, informational, and military efforts to achieve final victory and establish a just peace in the country.