MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stressed the importance of implementing agreements reached in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, adding that "appropriate steps will be taken with this in mind."
"It is important now to implement what was agreed upon in Istanbul on May 16, to organize the largest exchange of prisoners in three years based on a thousand-for-thousand formula and for the parties to submit their documented approaches toward a possible future settlement process," she said.
"With all of this in mind, the appropriate steps will be taken going forward," Zakharova added.
On May 16, Istanbul hosted negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, their first since 2022. As a result, Moscow and Kiev agreed to swap 1,000 POWs from each side, outline their vision of a ceasefire in detail, and continue the negotiation process.
Russia’s chief negotiator, Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, shared that the Russian side was satisfied with the outcome. Also, he said, Ukraine requested direct talks between Vladimir Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, an issue Russia "has taken note of."