Major Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap is underway, official says

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Vance says US ‘more than willing’ to walk away from mediating peace negotiations with Russia, Ukraine

Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. wants to see "outcomes" from Russia and Ukraine on peace talks, and isn’t afraid to step aside from its involvement negotiating with both countries.

A major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine is underway, a senior Ukrainian official said Friday.

The swap is happening at the border between Belarus and Ukraine, the official told the Associated Press. Moscow had no immediate comment.

The announcement comes after Russian and Ukrainian officials took part in direct talks in Turkey last Friday for the first time since the early days of the war, agreeing to release around 1,000 prisoners of war. 

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning. “Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???” 

WILL VANCE REMARK ABOUT US BAILING ON UKRAINE ENCOURAGE PUTIN TO SINK NASCENT PEACE TALKS? 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo/Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X that “I held a meeting on the preparation for an exchange” and “The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity was perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey.” 

Trump had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Following the conversation, Trump said “I believe it went very well.” 

“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War. The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said. “The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later.” 

PUTIN VISITS KURSK REGION FOR FIRST TIME SINCE BOOTING UKRAINIAN FORCES FROM TERRITORY 

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Monday, May 19. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images | Photographer: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Fox News Digital)

Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that “a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible” but noted that “Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides.” 

The Kremlin then said Thursday that both sides had no direct peace talks scheduled. 

In this photo taken from a video distributed by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, May 15, Russian Army soldiers prepare a 152mm howitzer Giatsint-B to fire on Ukrainian positions in Ukraine.  (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

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“There is no concrete agreement about the next meetings,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Associated Press. “They are yet to be agreed upon.” 

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report. 

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.