Russia and Ukraine Reach Agreement on Prisoner Exchange Facilitated by UAE
Previous negotiations have led to the exchange of a total of 1,788 prisoners between the two sides, with the first exchange being secured at the beginning of the year.
According to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Russia and Ukraine have reached another agreement for a prisoner swap deal.
In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry announced that its mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine have successfully resulted in an agreement to facilitate the exchange of prisoners between the two conflicting nations.
The recent exchange process involved 230 prisoners, with an equal division between both sides, the ministry stated.
This marks the seventh round of successful mediation by the UAE, with the previous negotiations leading to the exchange of 1,788 prisoners. The ministry emphasized the UAE’s commitment as a trusted mediator for both parties in resolving the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian team and the UAE for their efforts in bringing back their people.
Prisoner Negotiations
The UAE’s ministry highlighted the role of its partnership with Russia in securing the prisoner exchange deal agreed upon by the United States and Russia in December 2022.
The exchange involved the release of American women’s basketball player Brittney Griner in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Griner, who was arrested in Moscow in 2022 for possessing illegal vape cartridges, received a nine-year sentence in a Russian penal colony. Meanwhile, Bout, also known as the “Merchant of Death,” was serving a 25-year U.S. prison sentence.
The exchange took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where both parties were swapped on the airport tarmac. However, the deal faced criticism for not securing the release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained in Russia in 2018 on espionage charges.
