Russia Stalls Major Prisoner Exchange With Ukraine Agreed for Year-End, Zelenskyy Says

Russia is blocking preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange that had previously been agreed upon for completion by the end of the year.

The announcement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while commenting on the latest negotiations regarding exchanges during a meeting with press on December 11.

According to the president, Ukraine has fulfilled all necessary steps, and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov held a meeting during which both sides agreed on a major exchange and committed to coordinating the lists.

“‘The Russians’ have begun slowing down these processes because they want broader agreements… If we finalize all these steps, we will return to decisions on the exchange,” Zelenskyy said.

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The president added that during recent contacts, the sides agreed to carry out a sizeable exchange before the New Year and to continue discussing the lists. However, he noted that it is now the Russian side that has begun stalling the process.

Earlier, on November 22, Ukraine brought home 31 of its citizens who had been serving prison sentences in Belarus. The group, which included both men and women, had received sentences in Belarus ranging from two to eleven years.

Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for the Military Intelligence Directorate, said during a national television broadcast that the operation became possible with the help of international mediators. He emphasized that it was a significant development and expressed gratitude to the United States and to President Donald Trump for what he described as their leading role in the process.

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