A fragile agreement reached during the Istanbul peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is now teetering on the edge of collapse, as both sides trade blame over stalled prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, in a sharply worded statement Saturday, called on Russia to honor commitments made in Istanbul, which included the exchange of wounded, ill, and young prisoners of war, as well as the return of thousands of fallen soldiers.
"The Russian side pledged to begin exchanges from now," Kyiv’s statement said, warning Moscow not to "create artificial obstacles or spread false narratives" to delay the process.
Tensions escalated when Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky claimed Ukraine had indefinitely postponed the swaps. But Kyiv swiftly rejected the accusation.
"Russia’s latest statements contradict reality and the agreements made," said Andriy Kovalenko from Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, accusing Moscow of “playing dirty games” and dragging its feet under false pretenses.
