Putin thanks Sheikh Mohamed for UAE’s successful mediation in Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call on Thursday with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, during which they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Sheikh Mohamed also congratulated Putin on the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marked on 9th May, and wished Russia and its people continued progress and prosperity.

Putin thanked Sheikh Mohamed for the UAE’s successful mediation in the most recent and largest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, which took place in April, and commended the UAE’s sustained efforts in this area.

A couple of weeks ago, the United Arab Emirates had announced the success of mediation efforts in a new exchange of captives between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, the largest exchange since the outbreak of the conflict between the two countries.

The mediation included 246 Ukrainian captives and 246 Russian captives in addition to the exchange of 31 wounded Ukrainians and 15 wounded Russians - 538 captives in total - bringing the total number exchanged through UAE mediation efforts to 3,771.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its appreciation to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine for their cooperation with UAE mediation endeavours. This reflects the confidence and appreciation of both countries for the UAE’s role in supporting all efforts to resolve the crisis between the two nations.

The Ministry emphasised that the success of this mediation, the fourteenth, reflects the distinguished ties between the UAE and the two countries.

WAM