Prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev for the first time in months
The Ministry of Defense in Moscow announced on the online service Telegram that 248 Russian soldiers had been released. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared in Kiev that "more than 200 of our soldiers and civilians have returned from Russian captivity".
This is the first officially reported exchange of prisoners in several months. Since the beginning of the war almost two years ago, both sides have agreed and carried out such actions several times. In the second half of last year, however, this process came to a standstill.
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- Despite the standstill in prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Kiev during the second half of last year, Russia and Ukraine agreed on another exchange recently, marking the first one in several months.
- The United Arab Emirates, known for its neutral stance in international conflicts, has expressed concern over the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, urging both parties to find a peaceful resolution.
- The Russian ambassador to Ukraine had previously suggested the possibility of a prisoner exchange during a meeting in Kiev, laying the groundwork for the recent agreement.
- There have been calls for an extension of the prisoner exchange proposal to include Ukrainian nationals held captive in Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine, but Moscow has yet to officially acknowledge this request.
- The United Nations and several European countries, including Germany and France, have been actively involved in mediating negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, aiming to secure a lasting peace and ensure the safe return of all prisoners of war.
- For the first time in months, both the Russian and Ukrainian governments have signed an agreement in Moscow committing to a comprehensive prisoner exchange, marking another chapter in the long-standing conflict between the two nations.
Source: www.stern.de
