Ankara: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his hope to renew large-scale prisoner swaps with Russia by the end of the year. He praised Turkey's mediation efforts and expressed his trust in the strength of Turkish diplomacy during a news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy described the meeting with Erdogan as "very productive and substantive," highlighting the strong trust and cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey. He thanked Turkey for its principled stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and its clear support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Zelenskyy noted that discussions with Turkey included cooperation on joint production projects, with both countries committed to working on agreed-upon matters. He expressed optimism about restoring prisoner swaps with Russia, aiming for the return of a significant number of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the end of the year. He acknowledged Turkey's crucial role in these efforts, stating that 2,500 Ukrainian POWs have been or are being returned to Kyiv through Turkish-mediated processes.

The Ukrainian president emphasized the need to accelerate these diplomatic efforts. He highlighted the three rounds of peace talks held between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul, which led to major prisoner swaps and draft memoranda outlining positions for a future peace deal.

Zelenskyy and Erdogan also discussed the current "situation in diplomacy," with Zelenskyy stressing the importance of channeling diplomatic activity towards achieving a dignified peace and guaranteed security. He reiterated that there is no alternative to peace and emphasized the shared view with Turkey that peace and security must be guaranteed.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Turkey's continued assistance and coordination, underscoring the importance of security in the Black Sea region. He concluded by affirming that Ukraine's security can only be ensured through collaboration with Turkey.