‘Ukraine and Russia agree to 24–48-hour humanitarian ceasefire, 1,200 prisoners to be released by each side’ – says Russian delegate Medinsky

‘Ukraine and Russia agree to 24–48-hour humanitarian ceasefire, 1,200 prisoners to be released by each side’ – says Russian delegate Medinsky

[Moscow, 24 July 2025] — At the third round of peace talks held in Istanbul, Türkiye, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to exchange at least 1,200 prisoners each. In addition, Russia has proposed a 24 to 48-hour humanitarian ceasefire to allow the evacuation of the wounded and the return of bodies of the dead.

Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, provided these details after Wednesday’s meeting, which began at 8:37 PM local time (1737 GMT) and ended at 9:16 PM (1816 GMT).

Medinsky stated,

“We have made an important humanitarian proposal to the Ukrainian side — to declare a ceasefire for at least 24 to 48 hours so that the wounded can be evacuated from the frontlines and the bodies of the dead can be retrieved.”

He added that due to drone surveillance, rescue operations have become extremely dangerous, especially in areas known as the "grey zones."

Proposal for Three Working Groups

Medinsky said Russia has proposed the formation of three separate online working groups focusing on political, humanitarian, and military issues. Additionally, Moscow has urged the inclusion of civilian detainees in the prisoner swap — including around 30 civilians Ukraine had captured in Russia’s Kursk region last year.

Return of Ukrainian Soldiers’ Bodies

The Russian side claimed it has already returned the bodies of around 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers and is ready to return another 3,000.
Medinsky noted:

“When the Ukrainian side is ready, we will transfer these bodies with the help of the Red Cross.”

Russia’s Position on Returning Children

In response to Ukraine’s allegation that Russia abducted thousands of Ukrainian children, Medinsky said they have reviewed the list of 339 children provided by Ukraine. He confirmed that some of those children have already been returned, and the rest are under review.

He said,

“Children whose legal guardians, relatives, or lawful representatives can be verified will be immediately reunited with them. However, many of the names on Ukraine’s list have never even entered Russia — possibly, they are in Europe.”

Russia Cautious About Proposed Presidential Summit

Regarding Ukraine’s desire to hold a presidential-level summit in August, Medinsky responded cautiously:

“Such a meeting should be for signing a final agreement — not to start fresh negotiations. If everything needs to be negotiated from scratch again, then such a summit is meaningless.”

He expressed hope that the fourth round of talks will definitely take place, although there have been rumors that it might be canceled.