Erdogan’s Peace Initiatives: Brokering Prisoner Exchanges Between Russia and Ukraine
During a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the issue of Ukraine’s prisoners of war was discussed. President Erdoğan has pledged to address the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Zelensky, speaking at a joint news conference on Saturday, emphasized that prisoners of war, political prisoners, and deported children were a significant focus of his talks with President Erdoğan in Istanbul. He highlighted the importance of human lives and stated that they have provided a list of individuals to their partner countries, actively working towards resolving the issue.
President Erdoğan expressed his commitment to finding common ground with President Putin during their upcoming discussions, including their meeting in August. He emphasized that Turkey is attentive to the perspectives of both Ukraine and Russia regarding prisoner swaps. President Erdoğan also mentioned that he has already spoken to President Putin and intends to continue addressing the matter over the phone until their next meeting. Prisoner exchanges remain a top priority on Turkey’s agenda, and they hope for a resolution to the issue.
The plight of Ukrainian prisoners of war is being actively pursued by President Zelensky, who seeks support from Turkey and plans to engage with Russia to find a solution. The commitment from President Erdoğan to discuss the issue with President Putin demonstrates the international efforts being made to address this humanitarian concern.
