Russia and Ukraine Begin Major Prisoner Swap After Trump-Putin Call

A major breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine war is underway as both nations begin what could be the largest prisoner exchange of the conflict, with around 1,000 prisoners of war set to be released and President Donald Trump may have played a critical role in pushing it forward.

According to Ukrainian officials, the prisoner swap is in progress, though not yet fully completed. The development follows direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, the first such meeting in months. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the agreement to release 1,000 Ukrainian captives was the most tangible outcome of the discussions.

“I held a meeting on the preparation for an exchange,” Zelenskyy posted to X. “The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity was perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey.”

President Donald Trump, speaking on Truth Social, announced the exchange ahead of Ukrainian confirmation, stating:

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly. Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???”

The timing is no coincidence. Earlier in the week, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the tone afterward was anything but adversarial.

“I believe it went very well,” Trump said. “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War... The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent.”

In a rare alignment, Putin’s office also acknowledged that a ceasefire is possible, but stressed that only Russia and Ukraine can determine the terms.

“Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides,” Putin noted, while the Kremlin added that no direct peace meetings are currently scheduled.

Key takeaways from this pivotal moment:

• 1,000 POWs are being exchanged the largest swap since the war began in 2022.

• Trump’s diplomatic outreach to Putin appears to have reopened channels that had gone cold for months.

• Zelenskyy and Putin both acknowledged the talks produced results, though full peace negotiations remain pending.

The Biden administration has been conspicuously absent from the moment, offering no leadership as Trump steps into a diplomatic vacuum left by years of bluster and bureaucratic deadlock. Under Biden, the war dragged on without resolution, as the White House prioritized blank checks to Ukraine and virtue-signaling summits that accomplished nothing.

Now, with one phone call and a deal moving forward, Trump has proven that diplomacy rooted in strength and respect can produce real results not just for the headlines, but for the lives of soldiers and civilians caught in a brutal war.

This is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs: no more endless war, no more globalist games just solutions.

If this prisoner exchange leads to a broader ceasefire or even peace credit will go not to the bureaucrats in Brussels or the elites in Davos, but to a former president who picks up the phone and gets things done.

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