Published on September 8, 2019
US President Donald Trump welcomed the Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange today as a potential step toward peace. Trump tweeted that Russia and Ukraine just swapped large numbers of prisoners. Very good news, perhaps a first giant step to peace. Trump Congratulated to both countries for the step.
A long-awaited exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine has been completed. Planes from the two countries brought the freed inmates to Moscow and Kiev. Russia’s state-run news channel Rossiya said a total of 70 prisoners were involved in this landmark exchange. This is the first major exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine since the conflict over eastern Ukraine erupted in 2014. It could be a crucial step in easing tensions between the ex-Soviet neighbours over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the subsequent war that has left more than 13,000 dead in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.