Despite the war, Ukraine and Russia continue to negotiate on humanitarian issues. In particular, the parties agree on the exchange of prisoners, the passage of ships from the Black Sea ports and the return of Ukrainian children. This was reported by The Washington Post.


The negotiations are conducted in secret and include the use of intermediaries such as Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and the International Committee of the Red Cross.


The exchange of prisoners of war and bodies of fallen soldiers is a key part of these negotiations.


In addition to official meetings, negotiations are sometimes conducted through personal meetings on the Ukrainian-Russian border, phone calls, and other communication channels.


According to some negotiators, even in the absence of diplomatic relations, maintaining these channels of communication is important to ensure the exchange of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian citizens.


Negotiations on humanitarian issues provide the Ukrainian and Russian sides with an opportunity to find common interests in the context of the armed conflict.


However, the total number of prisoners of war has not yet been disclosed, and negotiations often take place in secret.