Photo from UNIAN

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker hopes a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia held on September 7 is a momentum for ceasefire and progress toward full Minsk implementation.

Read alsoTrump comments on Ukraine-Russia prisoner swap

"Very pleased to see Ukrainian sailors coming home and Ukraine-Russia prisoner exchange! Hope it builds momentum for further prisoner exchanges, renewed ceasefire, and progress toward full Minsk implementation," he wrote on Twitter.

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As UNIAN reported earlier, 11 Ukrainian political prisoners and 24 captured sailors returned to Ukraine on Saturday as part of a long-awaited prisoner swap.

At the same time, 35 people convicted in Ukraine for various crimes or involved in criminal proceedings returned to Russia.

Following the arrival of Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the first stage of ending the war in Donbas had been implemented.