Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which took place on Wednesday as a result of his negotiations with the heads of both states, is a step towards ending the war.

"According to the head of state, the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, achieved through the mediation of Turkey, is an important step towards ending the war. The Turkish leader added that Ankara continues to make efforts to achieve peace between Moscow and Kyiv," the Turkish Anadolu Agency writes.

Erdogan expressed gratitude to Zelensky and Putin for agreeing on the exchange of prisoners of war and to everyone who made efforts in this process.

The publication also reported that US national security adviser Jacob Sullivan thanked Turkey for mediating the exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia. "I express my gratitude to the Turkish government for its decisive contribution to the implementation of the grain deal, as well as for mediating the exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and Russia," he said.