Russia, Ukraine Agree to Exchange 6,000 Bodies, Prisoners Under 25

The second round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded in Istanbul, Turkey, with both sides agreeing to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers. The negotiations, which lasted approximately one hour, ended around 4 PM local time. Russian President's aide and the head of the Russian delegation, Medinsky, stated that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a temporary ceasefire in certain frontline areas for two to three days to facilitate the exchange of fallen soldiers' remains. The Ukrainian side promised to quickly study and develop a plan for this exchange. Additionally, the Russian side announced that it would unilaterally transfer 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers to Ukraine the following week.

Medinsky also mentioned that a medical commission would be established to regularly exchange severely injured soldiers on a "all-for-all" basis. Both sides agreed to exchange prisoners of war under the age of 25, with at least 1,000 soldiers from each side to be exchanged, though the exact numbers are yet to be determined. He further stated that Russia had handed over a detailed memorandum on conflict mediation to Ukraine during the talks.

Ukrainian Defense Minister and head of the Ukrainian delegation, Oleksii Reznikov, confirmed that both sides reached an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war, including all severely ill prisoners and those under the age of 25. He also noted that both sides agreed on humanitarian issues during the conflict, including the exchange of injured prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers. The Russian delegation handed over a ceasefire memorandum to the Ukrainian side, which will take a week to study the document and coordinate further steps. The Russian side rejected a proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire during the talks.

The Ukrainian delegation proposed holding the next round of talks by the end of the month. The first round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place on May 16 in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war but did not reach a consensus on core issues such as a ceasefire.

This agreement marks a significant step forward in the humanitarian efforts between the two nations, as it addresses the urgent need to return the remains of fallen soldiers to their families. The establishment of a medical commission to exchange severely injured soldiers and the agreement to exchange prisoners of war under the age of 25 further highlight the commitment of both sides to addressing the human cost of the conflict. However, the rejection of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire by the Russian side indicates that there are still significant obstacles to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement. The next round of talks, proposed by the Ukrainian delegation, will be crucial in determining the future direction of the peace process.