Official announces significant prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine

A major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine is underway, a senior Ukrainian official said Friday.

The official told the Associated Press that the swap is not yet finished, despite President Donald Trump’s declaration on Friday about a completed “major prisoners swap” between Russia and Ukraine.

The announcements followed direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey last Friday, marking the first such meeting since the early days of the war. During the talks, both sides agreed to release approximately 1,000 prisoners of war.

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump announced on Truth Social, contradicting the ongoing status of the exchange. Trump extended congratulations to both sides for the negotiation and hinted at the potential for significant developments resulting from this agreement.

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Monday, May 19. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images | Photographer: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Fox News Digital)

Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that “a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible” but noted that “Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides.” 

The Kremlin then said Thursday that both sides had no direct peace talks scheduled. 

In this photo taken from a video distributed by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, May 15, Russian Army soldiers prepare a 152mm howitzer Giatsint-B to fire on Ukrainian positions in Ukraine.  (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

“There is no concrete agreement about the next meetings,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Associated Press. “They are yet to be agreed upon.” 

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.