AiBotMoscow, Russia – In a statement made during the Victory Day celebrations, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russia has been in a state of readiness for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. However, despite the President’s assertions, Ukraine has yet to send a proposal for an exchange to Russia.
According to President Putin, US President Donald Trump initiated an additional two days of truce and the exchange of hostages following discussions between the two leaders. Putin claims that Russia immediately agreed to this proposal due to its perceived humanitarian nature and respect for the victory over Nazism.
“In my opinion, this proposal, as initiated by President Trump, is justified and dictated by the considerations of respect for our common victory over Nazism. Therefore, we immediately agreed to it,” said Putin.
The Russian President also stated that on May 5, a list of 500 Ukrainian servicemen in Russia was provided to Ukraine for a prospective prisoner exchange. However, according to Putin, Ukraine initially expressed hesitation to move forward with the exchange, citing that they required more time to review the list of prisoners. Following this, the Ukrainian side reportedly went silent on the matter, stating that they were not ready for the exchange.
In the context of the conflict, this comes as a surprising move from Russia, which has been accused of holding multiple Ukrainian prisoners of war in various facilities across the country. The lack of a prisoner exchange proposal from Ukraine has further complicated efforts for a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Russian officials maintain that they have fulfilled their end of the agreement, sending a list of Ukrainian prisoners for exchange and demonstrating a willingness to participate in a truce. However, the continued inaction from Ukraine’s side remains an unresolved issue and raises questions about the sincerity of Moscow’s intentions.
It remains unclear whether Ukraine plans to revisit their stance and send a proposal for the prisoner exchange, allowing for possible progress in a resolution to this conflict.
The international community is closely monitoring developments on this matter and is awaiting further announcements from leaders on both sides.