Russia: Final part of prisoner exchange completed
Russia and Ukraine have now completed the largest prisoner exchange of the war, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to several news agencies. Each side released 303 prisoners of war each on Sunday, according to the statement. This means that a total of 1,000 prisoners from each country have been allowed to return home since Friday.
The agreement on the prisoner exchange came after the otherwise fruitless attempts at peace talks in Istanbul earlier in May.
Russia and Ukraine have now completed the largest prisoner exchange of the war, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to several news agencies. Each side released 303 prisoners of war each on Sunday, according to the statement. This means that a total of 1,000 prisoners from each country have been allowed to return home since Friday.
The agreement on the prisoner exchange came after the otherwise fruitless attempts at peace talks in Istanbul earlier in May.
The prisoners of war are home: “I am in seventh heaven”
When buses with Ukrainian soldiers who had been imprisoned in Russia arrived at a hospital on Ukrainian soil, Oleksandr remained outside – in a tight embrace with his wife Olena.
“I am in seventh heaven,” he told AFP.
He was captured by Russia almost two years ago and is one of the thousand Ukrainian soldiers who are allowed to return home as part of the large prisoner exchange the countries have agreed to. Now he dreams of eating and being with his family, he says.
Another of the soldiers in the busload is Konstantin Steblev, who when he crossed the border called his mother for the first time in three years.
– Hi, Mom, how are you? I love you. Don't be sad. It wasn't my fault. I promised I would come back safe and sound.
When buses with Ukrainian soldiers who had been imprisoned in Russia arrived at a hospital on Ukrainian soil, Oleksandr remained outside – in a tight embrace with his wife Olena.
“I am in seventh heaven,” he told AFP.
He was captured by Russia almost two years ago and is one of the thousand Ukrainian soldiers who are allowed to return home as part of the large prisoner exchange the countries have agreed to. Now he dreams of eating and being with his family, he says.
Another of the soldiers in the busload is Konstantin Steblev, who when he crossed the border called his mother for the first time in three years.
– Hi, Mom, how are you? I love you. Don't be sad. It wasn't my fault. I promised I would come back safe and sound.
Analysis: Donald Trump's silence is telling
As bombs rained down on Ukraine for the second night in a row – in the largest Russian airstrike of the war so far – it is impossible not to hear the silence from US President Donald Trump, writes The Guardian's Peter Beaumont in an analysis from Kyiv.
After this week's failed peace talks, it is clear, according to Beaumont, that Trump's attempt at mediation has failed – despite his earlier promises to "end the war in 24 hours" if he became president. The question is whether Trump has now abandoned his dutiful attempts to end the war, he writes.
"What is clear to the Ukrainians [...] is that without pressure from Washington, or greatly increased help from Europe, the war will continue to drag on. And more nights like Saturday's await."
TV4's Johan Fredriksson comes to a similar conclusion: the war is becoming a death marathon.
"There is talk of peace negotiations, but the feeling right now is that there can be no sensible ones," he writes, stating that no one seriously believes that Putin has any desire to sit down at a negotiating table.
As bombs rained down on Ukraine for the second night in a row – in the largest Russian airstrike of the war so far – it is impossible not to hear the silence from US President Donald Trump, writes The Guardian's Peter Beaumont in an analysis from Kyiv.
After this week's failed peace talks, it is clear, according to Beaumont, that Trump's attempt at mediation has failed – despite his earlier promises to "end the war in 24 hours" if he became president. The question is whether Trump has now abandoned his dutiful attempts to end the war, he writes.
"What is clear to the Ukrainians [...] is that without pressure from Washington, or greatly increased help from Europe, the war will continue to drag on. And more nights like Saturday's await."
TV4's Johan Fredriksson comes to a similar conclusion: the war is becoming a death marathon.
"There is talk of peace negotiations, but the feeling right now is that there can be no sensible ones," he writes, stating that no one seriously believes that Putin has any desire to sit down at a negotiating table.
Position for US to pressure Russia – Trump backs down
The timing for the US to put pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table may be better than ever, several senior officials and military experts tell the Washington Post.
Over the past year, Russia has only expanded its territory in Ukraine by 0.6 percent, while 1,500 soldiers are killed or wounded every day. But even though Putin's grip on the war looks weaker right now, Donald Trump is backing down from putting pressure on Russia with sanctions and military support for Ukraine, writes WP.
"The president's belief right now is that if you start threatening sanctions, the Russians will stop talking. And there is value in getting them to the negotiating table," writes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The timing for the US to put pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table may be better than ever, several senior officials and military experts tell the Washington Post.
Over the past year, Russia has only expanded its territory in Ukraine by 0.6 percent, while 1,500 soldiers are killed or wounded every day. But even though Putin's grip on the war looks weaker right now, Donald Trump is backing down from putting pressure on Russia with sanctions and military support for Ukraine, writes WP.
"The president's belief right now is that if you start threatening sanctions, the Russians will stop talking. And there is value in getting them to the negotiating table," writes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar