United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has lauded the United Arab Emirates for its pivotal role in successfully facilitating a historic prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
Guterres has expressed his welcome for the exchange of 230 Ukrainian prisoners of war for 248 Russian prisoners of war in the largest prisoner exchange operation during the nearly two-year-long conflict, according to a statement by the UN spokesperson on Thursday.
The official UN website quoted Stephanie Tremblay, the spokesperson for Guterres, as saying that the Secretary-General “commends the efforts of both parties and the mediation provided by the United Arab Emirates, which contributed to this positive development.”
She added, “The Secretary-General hopes that this significant step will be followed by additional prisoner exchanges and other efforts to de-escalate the situation.”
This exchange of prisoners marks a significant milestone in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, offering hope for further diplomatic initiatives to resolve the crisis and reduce tensions in the region.
Russia and Ukraine announced last Wednesday the exchange of about 448 prisoners, marking the first official exchange between the two countries in several months.
This exchange comes amid escalating mutual attacks and complex negotiations, mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
