Ukraine hopes to resume exchanges by end of 2025 – Zelenskyy

Ukraine hopes to resume exchanges of military and civilian prisoners held by Russia by the end of the year and return a significant number of prisoners, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"We hope to resume exchanges by the end of the year, return a significant number of prisoners. Turkey is helping us a lot in this," Zelenskyy said during a press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian head of state said Ukraine is trying to resume prisoner exchanges in order to return home Ukrainian military and civilians, including "Crimean Tatar political and religious prisoners of Russia."

"Of course, we are working to return our kidnapped Ukrainian children. We have platforms and work everywhere, and Turkey has all the opportunities for this work. We thank you for such help in returning our children," Zelenskyy said.

He said that with the help of Turkey, 2,500 prisoners of war have already been returned home.