Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Ukraine Seeks To Discuss Return Of Prisoners, Children, Leaders' Meeting With Russia In Istanbul Zelensky


(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The head of state made this statement during his address to the participants of the annual meeting of the heads of Ukraine's foreign diplomatic missions, titled "From the Power of Diplomacy to the Diplomacy of Power," according to Ukrinform.

"Currently, our representatives are preparing at least one more prisoner exchange with Russia – and NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov has proposed to the Russian side a new meeting of representatives in Turkey. The agenda is clear for us – the return of prisoners, the return of children abducted by Russia, and preparation for the leaders' meeting," Zelensky said.

Read also: Ukraine to open new embassies in Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay this year – Sybiha

He called on Ukrainian diplomats to inform host countries about the need for this negotiation format, its specific agenda, and to secure political support for Ukraine.

The first round of talks took place in Istanbul on May 16, with the Russian delegation led by Putin's aide Vladimir Medinsky, indicating a relatively low level of Russian representation. The Ukrainian side was headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The talks resulted in an agreement on a "1,000-for-1,000" prisoner exchange.

The second round was held in Istanbul on June 2, where both sides agreed to exchange wounded and severely wounded prisoners, as well as young soldiers under 25 years old, in an "all-for-all" format. The delegations also reached agreements on the repatriation of fallen soldiers' remains.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

MENAFN21072025000193011044ID1109828244



Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.