Major Prisoner Swap Meaningful Step in Talks Between Moscow, Kiev — Vucic

The Serbian leader added that he did not expect combat operations to end shortly, noting that he voiced his opinion "more as an analyst than as the president of the republic"

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

BELGRADE, May 17. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic believes that the agreement to exchange POWs under the ‘1,000 for 1,000’ formula between Russia and Ukraine may highlight the start of real dialogue, which is an important signal inspiring hope there may be some progress in the future negotiation process.

"I listened carefully to [Vladimir] Zelensky, they had a special team there, including [French President Emmanuel] Macron, [UK Prime Minister Keir] Starmer, Zelensky, and [German Chancellor Friedrich] Merz. I listened to all of them in the public part, in the other [closed] part not being present, of course, but I saw and heard what the conclusion on the Istanbul talks was. It is good that an agreement was reached on exchange of 1,000 POWs: 1,000 Russian soldiers will return back home to Russia, and 1,000 Ukrainian ones [will return] back home to Ukraine. This is the largest exchange of war prisoners ever. This is good news, meaning that dialogue has started. When dialogue starts I believe that other results will follow as well," Vucic said in an interview broadcast by the Serbian television as he commented on his presence at the sixth summit of the European Political Community in Albania.

The Serbian leader added that he did not expect combat operations to end shortly, noting that he voiced his opinion "more as an analyst than as the president of the republic."

Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, their first since 2022, were held in Istanbul on May 16, lasting nearly two hours. Head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky, who serves as a Russian presidential aide, said after the talks that the Russian side is satisfied with their results and is ready to continue contacts. According to Russia’s chief negotiator, the sides agreed to exchange 1,000 Russian POWs for 1,000 Ukrainian POWs. He also said that Ukraine had requested direct talks between the two countries’ leaders and the Russian side had "taken note of this request.".