Russia and Ukraine will swap 500 POWs each over two days, with the first 200 exchanged on Thursday, marking a rare cooperative move in the ongoing conflict.

MOSCOW: Russia and Ukraine will each release 500 prisoners of war over Thursday and Friday, according to Russia’s top negotiator.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed the first 200 prisoners from each side were already swapped on Thursday.

Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky (pic) announced the exchange on Telegram, stating “500 for 500”.

He added the swap resulted from agreements at trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Geneva.

The Russian defence ministry said the UAE and the United States helped mediate Thursday’s initial exchange.

It noted the freed Russian servicemen are now in Belarus, a close Russian ally neighbouring Ukraine.

Prisoner swaps are one of the rare areas of cooperation between the warring nations.

These exchanges are among the few tangible results of talks mediated by Washington to end the conflict.

Negotiations had appeared to stall due to a lack of progress and the eruption of war in the Middle East.

Kyiv had mentioned a tentative plan for talks in Abu Dhabi this week, a location recently hit by Iranian missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday suggested Switzerland or Turkey as alternative venues for the next meeting.

Both countries have hosted previous rounds of talks.

 The Sun Malaysia