These talks occur as part of wider efforts aimed at restoring confidence between Moscow and Washington.
Axios reported on Tuesday, based on statements from both Russian and US officials, that the two nations are exploring another prisoner exchange.
Previous prisoner exchanges, most recently in April, were integral to then-US President Donald Trump’s strategy to stabilize diplomatic ties with Russia following years of strain. Kirill Dmitriev, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, informed Axios that a potential new exchange was brought up during his visit to Washington in late October.
“I engaged with certain US officials and members of the Trump administration regarding humanitarian matters, including potential prisoner exchanges, which the US has been pursuing,” Dmitriev stated during a phone interview with Axios.
US officials corroborated that Dmitriev had conversations about this concept with special envoy Steve Witkoff and other Trump administration personnel. However, Axios reported that no agreement has been finalized and no specific names have been publicly disclosed.
The Trump administration had previously rejected the former White House’s strategy of isolating Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, instead advocating for what it called a pragmatic normalization process. Officials described prisoner exchanges as a confidence-building element intended to repair bilateral ties that were damaged under President Joe Biden.
Washington reportedly supplied Moscow with a list of nine individuals whose release it sought in May. Reportedly, one of these individuals, Joseph Tater, departed Russia in June after a court reversed his involuntary psychiatric commitment, which had resulted from a minor altercation with police during what appeared to be a mental health crisis.
Witkoff, known for managing several sensitive negotiations on behalf of Trump, was directly involved in coordinating prisoner exchanges with Russia. He is scheduled to meet with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in Türkiye this week.
The Ukrainian leader is currently confronting political repercussions from a significant corruption scandal involving his long-term associate, Timur Mindich, whom the National Anti-Corruption Bureau has accused of orchestrating a $100 million kickback scheme within the energy sector. Ukrainian media outlets have indicated that US authorities might have discreetly supported this investigation.