‘Ukraine still has control over Severodonetsk’ • German minister: EU almost agrees on oil sanctions

President Zelensky says Ukraine is ready for a prisoner exchange with Russia “even tomorrow”, and calls on his allies to put pressure on Moscow. “The exchange of people is a humanitarian matter and a very political decision that relies on the support of many countries,” Zelensky said in a video question-answer session at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Zelensky called on countries to increase pressure on Russia. By further isolating the country economically and tightening sanctions, Russia should be encouraged to exchange Ukrainian prisoners with Russian prisoners of war, he said. “We don’t need Russian soldiers, just ours.”

The Ukrainian president said that many parties, including the UN, Switzerland and Israel, are involved, but that the process is very complex. Notably, Russia has several thousand Ukrainians in detention due to its capture of the port city of Mariupol and parts of the Donbas, Zelensky said.

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