KYIV — Ukraine and Russia exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war on Wednesday under an agreement brokered at earlier talks in Istanbul, both governments confirmed, even as negotiations over a wider ceasefire showed little progress. The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced the returns.

The swap followed a series of meetings between Ukrainian and Russian delegations hosted by Turkey, which has positioned itself as a mediator since the early phase of the conflict. Turkish officials have repeatedly said prisoner exchanges represent the most tangible outcome of the stalled diplomatic track.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office said the returning servicemen included personnel captured during fighting in the eastern Donetsk region. Russia's Defence Ministry stated that its soldiers had been handed over at the Belarusian border and were being transported for medical treatment.

Despite the exchange, both sides accused each other of blocking movement toward a durable truce. European Union representatives urged continued humanitarian cooperation while warning that front-line combat had intensified in recent weeks.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has monitored several previous exchanges, called for unrestricted access to detained personnel on both sides and reiterated its appeal for the protection of prisoners under the Geneva Conventions.