"That is why, when Trump kept recycling the line "24 hours," many of us here knew it was unachievable and quietly scoffed at the idea. The agenda is crowded with the kinds of subjects that resist tidy headlines: ceasefire formulas that don't quite hold, humanitarian corridors that are still theoretical, and the ever-present question of prisoners of war & children. President Zelensky recently highlighted the possibility of an exchange, and that single word cut through the noise."
"Two stories, every time Every exchange creates two parallel stories. One is jubilation: a door opens, a familiar face steps through, and a family is whole again after years apart, sometimes reunited with someone they barely recognise anymore. The other is the quiet devastation of those still waiting, scanning lists, refreshing feeds, and counting days that have already turned into years."
"Since 2014, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners in fits and starts, even at moments when the fighting was at its worst. It is a grim continuity, and it should caution us against reading any single exchange as proof that peace is around the corner. Still, while Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian cities, any movement on prisoners is a small but real positive."
Rumours of a prisoner swap raise urgent hope among families desperate for returned loved ones. Trilateral talks remain complex, with contested ceasefire formulas, theoretical humanitarian corridors, and fraught prisoner questions. Promises of rapid timetables, such as "24 hours," prove unrealistic to many involved. The term "exchange" functions as a lifeline for families and carries deep emotional gravity. Each exchange produces jubilation for those freed and profound disappointment for those still waiting. Prisoner swaps have occurred intermittently since 2014, even during intense fighting, creating a grim continuity that does not equate to broader peace. Any prisoner movement, however small, is a tangible positive while the war continues.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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