Ukraine seeking exchange of 1,200 prisoners with Russia

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting with senior officers of the 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade 'Velykyi Luh' while he visits their command position at a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine November 13, 2025.

What you need to know:

  • The Istanbul agreements are prisoner-exchange understandings brokered with Turkish mediation in 2022, setting out rules for large, coordinated swaps between Russia and Ukraine.