According to Ukrinform, the head of state made the announcement during an evening video address.
Video: Telegram from the President
“We are preparing to exchange 1,200 of our people who are currently in captivity. We must free everyone, all our military personnel, all our civilians. No matter how difficult it may be,” Zelensky said.
Earlier, the President emphasized that he had heard a report from NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov on communication with the Russian representative at the Headquarters. According to him, the issue of lists of prisoners is currently being agreed upon.
“There is an agreement on the exchange of 1,200 people, work on the lists is ongoing,” Zelensky said.
As reported by Ukrinform, a meeting between the negotiating teams of Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul on July 23.
This is the third round of negotiations, with the previous ones taking place in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2.
Read also: Ukrainian soldiers buried in Lviv after dying in captivity during transfer for exchangeAs a result of the first round of negotiations, an agreement was reached, in particular, on the exchange of prisoners in the format “1000 for 1000.”
During the second round of negotiations, an agreement was reached on the exchange of prisoners of war in two categories – the wounded and seriously wounded, as well as soldiers under the age of 25 – in an “all for all” format. In addition, the issue of exchanging the bodies of deceased soldiers was agreed upon.
