Ukraine is working with Russia to renew prisoner exchanges that might carry dwelling 1,2000 Ukrainian prisoners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Sunday.
“We’re working to make sure one other begin to negotiations, in order that in any case there’s a prospect to finish this battle,” he wrote on X. “We’re additionally relying on the resumption of POW exchanges – many conferences, negotiations, and calls are at the moment going down to make sure this.”
Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, mentioned Saturday he held consultations mediated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates on resuming exchanges.
He mentioned the events agreed to activate prisoner alternate agreements brokered in Istanbul to launch 1,200 Ukrainians. Moscow didn’t instantly remark.
The Istanbul agreements confer with prisoner-exchange protocols established with Turkish mediation in 2022 that set guidelines for giant, coordinated swaps. Since then, Russia and Ukraine have traded hundreds of prisoners, although exchanges have been sporadic.
Umerov mentioned technical consultations could be held quickly to finalize procedural and organizational particulars, expressing hope that returning Ukrainians might “have a good time the New Yr and Christmas holidays at dwelling — on the household desk and subsequent to their kinfolk.”
Finnish president warns no ceasefire doubtless quickly in Ukraine
The president of Finland warned Sunday {that a} ceasefire in Ukraine is unlikely earlier than the spring and urged European allies to maintain up assist regardless of a corruption scandal that has engulfed Kyiv.
President Alexander Stubb informed the Related Press that Europe would require “sisu” — a Finnish phrase which means endurance, resilience and grit — to get by way of the winter months as Russia continues its hybrid assaults and knowledge battle throughout the continent.
“I am not very optimistic about reaching a ceasefire or the start of peace negotiations, a minimum of this yr,” Stubb mentioned, including it could be good to “get one thing going” by March.
Because the chief of one in every of Europe’s smaller international locations, however one which shares an 830-mile border with Russia, Stubb is conscious of what is at stake.
Stubb leverages his good relationship with U.S. President Trump — the 2 males have performed golf collectively and converse usually — to argue the case for Ukraine.
To carry peace to Ukraine, Stubb mentioned, Mr. Trump and European leaders want to maximise stress on Russia and on President Vladimir Putin to be able to change his strategic considering. Putin “principally needs to disclaim the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” goals that haven’t altered because the battle started practically 4 years in the past, Stubb mentioned.
Russian strikes proceed
Vitality infrastructure was broken by Russian drone strikes in a single day into Sunday in Ukraine’s Odesa area, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service mentioned. A solar energy plant was among the many broken websites.
Ukraine is desperately making an attempt to fend off relentless Russian aerial assaults which have introduced rolling blackouts throughout Ukraine on the point of winter.
Mixed missile and drone strikes on the ability grid have coincided with Ukraine’s efforts to carry again a Russian battlefield push aimed toward capturing the jap stronghold of Pokrovsk.
Russia fired a complete of 176 drones and one missile in a single day, Ukraine’s air power mentioned Sunday, including that Ukrainian forces shot down or neutralized 139 drones.
Ukrainian forces struck a serious oil refinery in Russia’s Samara area, together with a warehouse storing drones for the elite Rubicon drone unit within the partially Russian-occupied Donetsk area, Ukraine’s common workers mentioned Sunday. Russian officers didn’t instantly verify the assaults.
Months of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries have aimed to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue the battle.
Russia’s protection ministry mentioned Sunday that its forces shot down 57 Ukrainian drones in a single day.
