White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday said Ukraine and Russia have been equally involved in peace deal negotiations, which have been “quietly” in progress for weeks. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been working with Russian and Ukrainian intermediaries for over a month,

Ukraine is working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia, potentially bringing home 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners

The draft reportedly provides for "recognition of Crimea and other regions that the Russians have taken" and "reduction of the army to 400,000 personnel".

Ukraine is working to resume the exchange of prisoners with Russia, hoping for the release of 1,200 Ukrainians. According to SCMP, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a day after his national security chief announced progress in negotiations on Sunday,

Russia fired a large-scale barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine early Friday, damaging apartment buildings in Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv. It comes as Russia has been making incremental gains on the ground in recent weeks,

The progress follows negotiations mediated by Turkey and the UAE, with both sides agreeing to reactivate earlier Istanbul protocols. While the humanitarian move could ease tensions, the war remains intense.

Russia is betting that its military machine will eventually overwhelm its western neighbor, and that battle is playing out in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.

Exchanges have been the only progress of any note in negotiations between the two countries in the nearly four-year war.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia that could bring home 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, a day after his national security chief announced progress in negotiations.