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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that Russia has yet to provide complete lists of prisoners to be exchanged under agreements reached during negotiations in Istanbul.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy provided updates on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, focusing on prisoner exchange efforts and the return of fallen soldiers' remains.
The Ukrainian leader said he had received briefings from Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and other officials regarding work on prisoner swaps and the exchange of soldiers' bodies with Russia, based on understandings reached during Istanbul talks.
"In Istanbul, for more than a thousand people we agreed upon, unfortunately we still don't have complete lists from Russia," Zelenskyy said, referring to prisoners set to be exchanged under the agreement.
Despite the delay, Zelenskyy expressed continued commitment to the exchange process. "We believe we can continue the swap process. On our side, we are doing everything for this," he said.
The president warned that Russian non-compliance on humanitarian issues could undermine broader diplomatic efforts. "If the Russians do not comply with agreements even on such humanitarian matters, this will greatly cast doubt on all international efforts regarding negotiations and diplomacy, and especially the efforts of the United States," Zelenskyy stated.
Looking ahead to international summits, Zelenskyy said Ukraine continues preparations for NATO's The Hague Summit scheduled for June and the G7 summit to be held in Canada.
"We must increase pressure on Moscow. We must strengthen sanctions," Zelenskyy said, emphasizing the need for continued international pressure on Russia.
The prisoner exchange issue remains a critical humanitarian concern as the conflict continues, with both sides holding captured military personnel and civilians.
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