On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a full exchange of all prisoners of war with Russia, calling it the “start” of efforts to end the ongoing conflict, AFP reported.
Speaking at a summit in Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia must release all Ukrainian prisoners and that Ukraine was prepared to do the same.
“Russia must release Ukrainians. Ukraine is ready to exchange all for all, and this is a fair way to start,” Zelenskyy said, as quoted by AFP.
He also expressed hope that 2024 would mark the beginning of a genuine and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy praised Ukraine’s “resistance” and “heroism” as European Union leaders arrived in Kyiv to show solidarity.
“Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” he said. “I thank everyone who defends and supports it.”
Zelenskyy mentioned that 13 leaders were present in Kyiv on Monday, while another 24 were participating in a special meeting virtually. He expressed hope that this gathering would be a “turning point.”
Meanwhile, Russia stated that it was open to negotiations but would only cease hostilities when a peace settlement met its conditions, according to AFP. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that while Russia was seeking to resolve the conflict with the United States, European nations wanted the war to “continue.”
Lavrov also urged the United States to appoint a representative for future peace talks with Russia, citing what he described as “positive” discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia last week.
In recent days, Zelenskyy has faced criticism from former US President Donald Trump and his administration regarding Ukraine’s war with Russia. Trump has been advocating for a peace deal while blaming Zelenskyy for the war’s outbreak.
Trump has also referred to Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and warned that he “better move fast” to negotiate peace or risk losing his country.
In response, Zelenskyy stated that Trump was living in a Russian-controlled “disinformation space.”
This exchange comes amid increasing tensions between the two leaders and growing concerns in European capitals about the Trump administration’s renewed engagement with Russia.
