Russia-Ukraine Exchange 150 Prisoners, President Zelensky: We Remember Everyone And Make Every Effort

Prisoners of war Ukraine are released in the latest exchange. (Twitter/@ZelenskyyUa)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky praised efforts to exchange Ukrainian prisoners with Russia, saying it would continue to make efforts to repatriate all prisoners of war.

President Zelensky said on social media X that his party had never stopped working for a single day to bring all Ukrainians detained by Russia.

"75 more of our people have returned to Ukraine. The Armed Forces, National Guards, border guards, and four civilians. They are all already in their homeland," President Zelensky wrote on Twitter, as quoted May 31.

"We remember everyone. We are making every effort to find everyone from our people. I thank the team responsible for this exchange," he continued.

The exchange of prisoners this time is the fourth major exchange throughout the year so far, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) taking part again.

The exchange of prisoners comes "as a result of a country that takes advantage of its good relations with both sides" and expresses its appreciation to Russia and Ukraine for their cooperation and response to mediation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Ministry said, as reported by The National News May 31.

The ministry also states "the UAE's commitment to continuing efforts aimed at finding peaceful solutions to the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing its consistent position in calling for diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation".

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed 150 detainees have been released in exchange for the time. Previously, three other exchanges of detainees had occurred this year with the UAE as mediators. About 600 detainees were returned in February in two separate exchanges.

In January, in one of the most complicated deals in the conflict, 248 detainees were returned to Russia and 230 Ukrainians were repatriated.

The UAE also played a role in the successful exchange of two detainees between the United States and Russia in December 2022.