Most of the Ukrainian soldiers who were freed have been in Russian captivity since 2022.
Veronika Melkozerova
“They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kyiv sectors, and at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,” Zelenskyy added.
Trump announced earlier this month he had brokered a three-day ceasefire, which included the prisoner exchange deal between Kyiv and Moscow.
But Russia’s Ministry of Defense made no mention of a U.S. role when it confirmed 205 Russian soldiers had returned home Friday, crediting the United Arab Emirates with having provided “humanitarian mediation efforts.”
President Zelenskyy thanked “everyone working to bring our people home.”
This is the second time the U.S. brokered a 2,000-prisoner exchange since May 2025, when the sides agreed on a deal without a ceasefire. The swap started as Russia and Ukraine continued attacks on each other’s territory.
