The United Arab Emirates has eclipsed Türkiye as the highest dealer in prisoner swaps, Kirill Budanov has stated
The United Arab Emirates has emerged because the prime mediator between Kiev and Moscow concerning prisoner exchanges, the top of Ukraine’s army intelligence, Kirill Budanov, has claimed. He additionally backed a proposal put ahead by Pope Francis, who final month known as for a swap that will embody all POWs from the 2 states.
Türkiye was beforehand seen as the highest middleman between Kiev and Moscow following the outbreak of the Ukraine battle in February 2022. The primary try at peace negotiations came about in March of the identical yr in Istanbul. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently stated the Ukrainian delegation had initially agreed to a lot of Moscow’s phrases through the talks, however then abruptly reneged on the deal.
In an interview with Germany’s ARD broadcaster printed on Sunday, Budanov claimed that Ankara has ceased to play a central position in prisoner swaps, with the UAE taking its place. Commenting on the Pope’s initiative, the Ukrainian high spy stated: “I absolutely help this. Allow us to do it. There stays just one little factor: to steer Russia.” In keeping with the official, Moscow has not demonstrated any curiosity in such a POW alternate.
The final publicly confirmed prisoner swap between Kiev and Moscow came about in early February, when the Russian Protection Ministry reported {that a} complete of 100 Russian POWs had returned dwelling as a part of a deal mediated by the UAE.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed the Russian media final September that his nation was able to “play the position of mediator in points such because the alternate of prisoners,” in addition to in potential peace negotiations.
Russia and Ukraine haven’t sat on the negotiating desk because the talks in Istanbul fell by means of. Moscow has repeatedly signaled its readiness to resolve the battle by means of diplomacy. Moscow has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of refusing any significant dialogue, saying this has left it with no selection however to proceed pursuing its targets on the battlefield.
In keeping with revelations by David Arakhamia, Ukraine’s high negotiator in Istanbul, then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pressured Kiev to drag out of the talks on the time. Johnson has strongly denied any position in derailing the peace negotiations.
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