In what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described as a breakthrough in stalled diplomacy, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war on each side, marking the largest POW swap since the full-scale war began in 2022.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each during peace talks held in Istanbul on Friday, in what would be the biggest prisoner swap of the conflict. The negotiations, which lasted less than two hours and were mediated by Turkey, marked the first time the nations have engaged in direct peace talks since the war began.

Turkey was the last location where direct talks took place between the Russians and the Ukrainians in 2022. Later that year the Turks brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative - an agreement aimed to ensure the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.

Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's delegation at Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, said on Friday after the negotiations that Moscow was satisfied with the results and was ready to keep talking to Kyiv.

President Trump also spoke with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire.

President Donald Trump has grown "frustrated" with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the White House said Monday ahead of separate calls Trump is holding in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

Video. Ukraine and Russia exchanged 205 prisoners each on Tuesday in one of the largest swaps since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Ukraine is negotiating a large-scale prisoner exchange with Russia in a 1,000 for 1,000 format, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated during a press briefing. According to him, Ukraine is currently discussing the exchange of prisoners of war.

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed another prisoner exchange between Russia and the United States, involving nine individuals from each side, as reported by Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, following the presidents' conversation.