Are you ready for another round of talks that could save Ukraine from total disaster? Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, isn’t losing hope and claims that an urgent start to constructive and realistic negotiations is the only way to save Ukraine. Yes, you read that right — save! After two rounds of talks in Istanbul, both sides agreed on a prisoner exchange formula of “a thousand for a thousand.” That means at least 1,000 people from each side, including seriously ill and those under 25 years old, will be returned home. But wait, there’s more! Ukraine and Russia have just completed another prisoner exchange, confirming that the Istanbul deal is slowly but surely being implemented. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Telegram that fighters from the army, national guard, and border forces were returned, most of whom had been in Russian captivity since the invasion began. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the exchange at the Belarus-Ukraine border, with a total of seven exchanges held. Is this the beginning of the end or just another pause in the endless conflict? As the world holds its breath over the “Doomsday Clock” ticking ever closer to midnight, as warned by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, all we can do is watch these talks and exchanges with hope — and a healthy dose of skepticism. If you think this is the end, you might be too optimistic. But hey, who doesn’t love a good drama with a dash of diplomatic chess? Got thoughts? Share them — maybe you have the peace recipe everyone’s been waiting for!
