According to a source cited by Bloomberg, Russia and Ukraine will exchange 90 prisoners of war today, Wednesday, in an agreement brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
Ukrainian media reported last week that Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Ukrainian Parliament, stated that the government, with the assistance of the UAE, plans a “significant” prisoner exchange with Russia soon.
Russia and Ukraine have conducted several prisoner exchanges during the ongoing 27-month conflict, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the last exchange in June, both sides returned 90 prisoners, with the UAE mediating the process.
In a separate context, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be a declaration of war on Moscow, stating that “NATO’s display of wisdom is the only thing that could prevent planetary destruction.”
During their summit last week in Washington, NATO leaders pledged to support Ukraine on its “irreversible path towards Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership,” but left open the timing of such membership.
Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a prominent voice among Kremlin hardliners, told the newspaper “Argumenty i Fakty” on Wednesday that Ukraine’s membership would pose a direct threat to Moscow’s security. “This would essentially be a declaration of war,” he said.
He clarified that “the actions taken by Russia’s adversaries over the years and the expansion of the alliance have pushed NATO to a point of no return.” Medvedev emphasized that Russia has not threatened NATO but will respond to the alliance’s expansion attempts, stating, “The more these attempts increase, the harsher our responses will become.”
During his presidency from 2008-2012, Medvedev was seen as pro-Western, but he has since rebranded himself as a Kremlin hawk, warning the United States and its allies that arming Kyiv could lead to a “nuclear catastrophe.”
Since February 24, 2022, Russia has been conducting a military offensive against Ukraine, demanding that Kyiv abandon its plans to join Western military blocs. In response, leading capitals, particularly Washington, have imposed stringent economic sanctions on Moscow.
