WASHINGTON, September 7. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump congratulated Russia and Ukraine on the prisoner swap on Saturday and voiced the hope that it would be a first giant step to peace.

"Russia and Ukraine just swapped large numbers of prisoners. Very good news, perhaps a first giant step to peace. Congratulations to both countries!" - Trump wrote on Twitter.

On September 7, Moscow and Kiev exchanged detainees in conformity with the ‘35 for 35’ principle. Preparations for a prisoner swap intensified after Vladimir Zelensky had been elected Ukraine’s president. Several weeks ago, the negotiation entered an active phase and legal procedures began for the two countries’ nationals who had been added to the list. On September 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the exchange would be massive and might be a step towards the normalization of bilateral relations.