The Kremlin is insisting on the 2022 Istanbul format for negotiations as a way to buy time and blame Kyiv for the stalling of current peace talks, while planning to repeat an invasion under more favorable conditions in the future,

EADaily, August 19th, 2025. Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue direct negotiations in Istanbul, at which the status of representatives of the parties may be increased.

The return of the forcefully deported Ukrainian children “is a subject at the top of all lists,” Donald Trump said, adding that the US and Europe will work together with Ukraine and the rest of the world “to hopefully bringing them home to their families".

Russia on Tuesday returned the bodies of what it said were 1 000 Ukrainian soldiers, five of whom died while in captivity, a Ukrainian government agency said.

Russia is continuing its disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the prisoner exchange process by actively spreading false narratives through its officials and propagandists. Source: Centre for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Details: The Centre cited recent remarks made by Vladimir Medinsky,

Ukraine returned the bodies of 19 Russian soldiers in exchange, a Russian official said. Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed on both sides since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, though neither side regularly publishes data on their own casualties.