UAE Mediates Exchange of 206 Prisoners Between Russia & Ukraine

The United Arab Emirates has announced the successful mediation between Russia and Ukraine, facilitating a new prisoner exchange that involved 206 individuals, evenly split between the two nations.

With this operation, the total number of prisoners exchanged in these UAE-mediated efforts has reached 1,994 since the start of the conflict.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude to both countries for their cooperation and response to the Emirati mediation efforts. Despite the challenges posed by the current war conditions, this success underscores the trust and appreciation both the Russian Federation and Ukraine have for the UAE, recognizing its role in supporting the diplomatic resolution of the crisis.

The UAE's Foreign Ministry regarded this latest mediation, the eighth of its kind since the beginning of 2024, as a reflection of the strong relations of cooperation and friendship between the Emirates and the involved countries.

The Ministry reiterated the UAE's commitment to continuing efforts aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing its stance on diplomacy, dialogue, and de-escalation. The nation remains dedicated to supporting all initiatives that can mitigate the humanitarian fallout from the crisis, such as issues concerning refugees and prisoners.

Since the start of the year, UAE mediation has successfully carried out seven prisoner exchange operations between Russia and Ukraine and facilitated a notable prisoner swap between the United States and Russia in December 2022.