UAE says mediation efforts led to Russia, Ukraine swap of 200 prisoners

Released Ukrainian servicemen who return to home with bus, pose for a photo with Ukrainian flags in front of the bus as Russia and Ukraine exchanged 100 prisoners of war from each side Thursday through mediation by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the Russian Defense Ministry in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 08, 2024. [Ukrainian Presidency – Anadolu Agency]

The United Arab Emirates said it succeeded in mediating the release of 100 Russian prisoners of war in exchange for 100 war prisoners from the Ukrainian side, Reuters reports.

Russia’s Defence Ministry, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, noted the UAE’s “humanitarian mediation”, as did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Ukrainian body overseeing exchanges of POWs.

In a press release on its national news wire, WAM, the UAE said this was the third mediation attempt this year, adding it “succeeded twice in releasing captives from Russia and Ukraine, in addition to another successful mediation in December 2022, that led to the release and exchange of two prisoners between the United States and the Russian Federation.”

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