Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a loud statement during a press conference in Berlin regarding the recent developments in the prisoner exchange and agreements with Russia, emphasizing that, unfortunately, important documents still remain undisclosed
Specifically, Zelenskyy reported that the Ukrainian side managed to reach an agreement with the Russian side — as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange — on the return of thousands of Ukrainians from Moscow’s captivity. However, despite the historic nature of these agreements and hope for a swift conclusion to the negotiations, the anticipated "memorandum" from Moscow has not yet been presented. According to the Ukrainian president, the prisoner exchange process was carried out in several stages, each of which was challenging. On the first day — May 23 — Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war and civilians, of whom 390 Ukrainians were successfully returned. The next day, another 307 Ukrainian defenders were freed, and on May 25, Ukrainian servicemen returned home another 303 fighters, marking an extraordinary diplomatic and human breakthrough. Despite the achieved agreements, the key issue — the document intended to regulate all further steps — remains open. Zelenskyy stated that during negotiations in Turkey, the parties had agreed on the transmission of a "memorandum," which was to contain proposals for a ceasefire and a meeting of the leaders of the states. However, Ukraine has not received this document; instead, the number of promises and assurances has increased. "We expected more than anything else that they would finally present their 'agenda' — that is, a plan for a ceasefire, negotiations between leaders, and other important steps. They assured us that after the exchange, we would receive this memorandum or at least its draft. However, as practice has shown, we received nothing," Zelenskyy said. The president emphasized that representatives of Russia claimed the "memorandum" and "agenda" would be ready immediately after the prisoner exchange process, but in reality, that has not happened. Ukraine and its allies, including the United States, feel betrayed and have to acknowledge that the long-awaited document has not appeared, and instead, there are increasing signs that Moscow is delaying the process. "We have approached our partners in the United States for additional support and consultations, and they all unequivocally confirmed: waiting further is pointless. Now, we need to move to more serious and decisive steps," Zelenskyy stressed. Preceding this situation were the earlier stages of the prisoner exchange. On May 23, Ukrainian and Russian representatives agreed on the first phase — an exchange of 1,000 for 1,000 — successfully returning 390 Ukrainians. The next day, May 24, another 307 Ukrainian defenders were liberated, and in the final part of the exchange, completed on May 25 in Turkey, an additional 303 compatriots were returned home. In total — according to official information — Ukraine has already repatriated about 1,000 soldiers and civilians, a process that was complex and required significant diplomatic efforts. However, alongside this, the Ukrainian side feels discouraged by the insufficient activity from Moscow regarding the signing and further implementation of the document intended to set the framework for ending hostilities. Meanwhile, new statements have appeared in Moscow about the possible conclusion of the talks, as the countries prepare for new rounds of negotiations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow is in an "advanced stage" of working on a memorandum to regulate the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. However, he also emphasized that the exact dates or terms for the second round of negotiations have not yet been determined. In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is ready to work on a document that provides for a ceasefire for a certain period and possible negotiations. He also noted that contacts between the Ukrainian and Russian sides, including between representatives of the negotiating groups, have resumed, and the dialogue process continues. All these statements raise suspicion in Ukraine and prove that the peace process still largely depends on Moscow’s willingness and game plan. Overall, the situation with the memorandum remains tense, with ongoing ambiguous processes and uncertainties on both the battlefield and in diplomacy. Ukraine remains firmly committed not only to waiting but also to actively taking steps to protect its interests and security amid chaotic negotiations.