Russia and Ukraine have agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each following their first direct talks in over three years, held in Istanbul on Friday. The 90-minute meeting also included discussions on possible ceasefire terms and a potential future summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, according to BBC.

Ukraine pushed for an “unconditional ceasefire” to halt the ongoing conflict, which has devastated large parts of the country and displaced millions. However, Russia did not agree to suspend hostilities, though both sides said they would present their proposals for a possible ceasefire.

Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky expressed satisfaction with the outcome and confirmed Moscow’s openness to further talks. Ukraine’s Defence Minister and chief negotiator Rustem Umerov emphasized the need for a leader-level meeting as the next step.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy welcomed the prisoner exchange, calling it a “great result” and a sign of diplomacy and events as of May 2025, BBC reported.