UAE and Ukrainian War Prisoners: 5 Mediations and Proven Successes
A new successful UAE mediation for a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine marks the fifth such effort, crowning continuous humanitarian and diplomatic efforts for peace.
On Friday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the success of the state’s mediation efforts in completing a new prisoner of war exchange between Russia and Ukraine, resulting in the release of 150 prisoners from both sides.
The ministry stated that this mediation, the fourth since the beginning of this year achieved by the UAE, came as a result of the state leveraging its excellent relationships with both sides to reach this agreement.
The ministry emphasized the UAE’s ongoing efforts to support all initiatives aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, stressing the importance of resorting to diplomacy, dialogue, de-escalation, and alleviating the humanitarian consequences of the crisis.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the recovery of 75 soldiers from Ukrainian captivity due to negotiations mediated by the UAE.
Ukrainian Prisoners Released
The Fourth in 2024
A successful mediation crowns the ongoing efforts of the UAE leadership to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, adding to the previous successful prisoner exchange deals between the two countries:
– January 3, 2024: Mediation resulted in the return of 248 soldiers to Russia, in exchange for Ukraine recovering more than 200 prisoners.
– January
31, 2024: 195 soldiers returned to Russia, in exchange for Ukraine recovering an equivalent number of prisoners from Russia.
– February 8, 2024: Russia recovered 100 of its imprisoned soldiers, in exchange for Ukraine recovering an equivalent number of prisoners from Russia.
In February 2023, UAE mediation resulted in the return of 63 “sensitive category” prisoners of war to Russia, in exchange for 116 prisoners to Kyiv.
These agreements result from a series of successful UAE mediations in various countries worldwide, crowning the UAE’s continuous humanitarian and diplomatic efforts to resolve crises, support stability, and promote peace globally.
These repeated successes also reinforce the UAE’s position under the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyane, President of the State, as an important partner in the success of peace initiatives at regional and international levels.
The successful UAE mediation also reflects the world’s trust and appreciation for the UAE’s leadership and its efforts and mediations based on upholding values of love, tolerance, and peace.
The success of the latest mediation comes as UAE efforts continue on multiple fronts to stop the escalation between Russia and Ukraine and work towards ending the crisis through dialogue.
Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in February 2022, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has led efforts to promote a peaceful resolution to the crisis, having previously held several discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin during mutual visits.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also held telephone discussions within the same framework with the Ukrainian President.
The Russian and Ukrainian presidents expressed their thanks and appreciation to the UAE President for the success of the mediation efforts by his country.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has affirmed the UAE’s consistent approach to supporting peace and stability on regional and international stages and political solutions to conflicts, including the Ukrainian crisis, through de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy.
He expressed the UAE’s readiness to play any role in resolving the Ukrainian crisis and mitigating its humanitarian repercussions, stressing that “the UAE will always be present” to calm the situation and support stability in this crisis.
Humanitarian Efforts
Alongside its continuous diplomatic and political efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, the UAE’s humanitarian efforts are also active, establishing a humanitarian air bridge to support Ukrainian refugees and those affected by the crisis.
In March, the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 50 tons of food supplies to Ukraine as part of ongoing relief support to help those affected by the crisis and mitigate the repercussions faced by the people.
A month earlier, the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 55 tons of relief and medical supplies, including more than 360 personal electric generators, 5,000 educational laptops, winter clothes, blankets, heaters, and medical supplies to help those affected in Ukraine.
On December 20, the UAE announced sending an aid plane carrying 100 tons of power generators to civilians affected by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine to help them cope with harsh winter conditions.
The aid included 1,640 household power generators of different capacities to provide energy to civilian homes.
The UAE transported part of the electric generators to the Polish capital, Warsaw, before later transporting the rest.
Since the beginning of the crisis, the UAE has provided urgent relief supplies to affected civilians in Ukraine, including:
– Humanitarian relief aid worth 100 million US dollars.
– Establishing an air bridge, sending planes carrying tons of relief supplies, essential food items, medical supplies, electric generators, ambulances, laptops, and thousands of school bags.
– Sending a ship carrying 250 tons of relief supplies.
– Dispatching planes carrying relief supplies to Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries like Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria.
Around the World
In addition to its successful mediations between Russia and Ukraine, the UAE has accomplished numerous successful mediations worldwide, including:
– On August 14, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call from Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation for the UAE’s significant role in securing the release of UN employees kidnapped in Yemen for more than a year, including a Bangladeshi national.
– The UAE previously succeeded in mediating the safety of Egyptian soldiers in Sudan, adding to Abu Dhabi’s track record in efforts to promote peace and establish stability worldwide.
On April 20, 2023, the UAE announced the success of the mediation coordinated and cooperated with Egypt to secure the safety of Egyptian soldiers with the Rapid Support Forces, handing them over to the Cairo embassy in Khartoum.
Increasing diplomatic and humanitarian achievements and continuous international acclaim highlight global appreciation for the UAE’s position and growing international trust in its foreign policy and humanitarian diplomacy, which has become a source of inspiration and influence and a model to be emulated.
