Zelenskyy: Ukraine seeks to resume prisoner exchange process, negotiations with Turkey underway

Rustem Umerov during his visit to Turkey. Photo: Rustem Umerov's Telegram

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine aims to resume the prisoner exchange with Russia in 2026. Key negotiations on this issue are currently being held by National Security and Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov during his visit to Turkey.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in his evening video address.

Thus, on 28 December, Rustem Umerov met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Organisation Ibrahim Kalin. The parties discussed the release of Ukrainian prisoners, as well as the security situation and the progress of negotiations.

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According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the return of Ukrainians from Russian captivity is one of the key issues in the dialogue with Turkey.

«We need this assistance to bring our Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Last year, the exchanges were active, but unfortunately, they slowed down at the end of the year, and now we need to resume them,» the president said.

Rustem Umerov also confirmed that the issue of prisoner exchange remains a key one during the meetings in Turkey.

As a reminder, almost five hundred Mykolaiv servicemen were released from Russian captivity in 2025.