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UAE mediation efforts facilitate sixth Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange


The Russia-Ukraine crisis erupted on February 24, 2022, when numerous Russian troops marched into Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2024, the UAE has facilitated six prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. 

The most recent exchange, which took place on July 17, saw the release of 190 soldiers. This successful negotiation was confirmed by the Emirati foreign ministry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed on X that 95 members of Ukraine's armed forces, National Guard, and Border Guards had returned home, expressing his gratitude to the UAE for their mediation efforts. 

So far in 2024, the UAE has orchestrated six prisoner exchanges, with the first two in January, followed by one each in February, May, June, and the latest in July. This brings the total number of prisoners exchanged through UAE mediation to 1,558. The UAE ministry expressed appreciation to the governments of Russia and Ukraine for their cooperation, highlighting the Emirates' commitment to being a reliable mediator supporting diplomacy.

The UAE remains dedicated to pursuing a peaceful resolution to the conflict, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and de-escalation to resolve the crisis and mitigate its humanitarian impact. The Gulf state's mediation efforts also include facilitating a prisoner exchange between Russia and the US in December 2022.

In January 2024, one of the largest exchanges took place with 400 prisoners exchanged between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by UAE mediation. The six exchanges this year reflect the UAE's status as a trusted international partner. 

Here is the timeline of the exchanges:
- First exchange in January (the largest so far)
- Second exchange in January
- Third exchange in February
- Fourth exchange in May
- Fifth exchange in June
- Sixth exchange in July

For more details, find the complete timeline of exchanges here.

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