The Saudi and UAE foreign ministries on Thursday announced the success of their mediation between the United States and Russia, which resulted in the exchange of two prisoners.
This was stated in a joint statement Saudi news agency Officially, the success of the mediation came thanks to the efforts of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The joint communiqué said that the success of the mediation efforts reflects the close and joint friendship between their two countries, the United States of America and Russia, “and the important role played by the leaderships of the two fraternal countries in promoting the dialogue between all parties».
The statement indicated that Abu Dhabi had received the American citizen, Brittney Grainer, via a private plane from Moscow on 8 December 2022, after the Russian authorities had released her, in conjunction with the reception of the Russian citizen, Victor Bout, via a private plane from Washington, after the US authorities released him, in the presence of specialists from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The American and Russian sides handed over their citizens, in preparation for their transfer to their countries.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed their thanks from the Governments of the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Governments of the United States of America America and Russia for their collaboration and response to the joint mediation efforts made by the leaders of the two countries.
On Thursday, the White House and the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Grainer’s extradition to the United States, in exchange for Russian citizen Bout.
In a speech at the White House, US President Joe Biden thanked the UAE “for its role in the exchange process that took place at Abu Dhabi airport”.
“I spoke to Brittney Grainer and she’s safe now and on her way home,” Biden said.
“I thank everyone in my administration who worked to secure Grainer’s release,” he added, noting that “we will continue to negotiate the release home of every wrongfully imprisoned American.”
He emphasized that “Grainer said, ‘Don’t forget the other American inmates and send us back to our homes.'”
Furthermore, the Russian ministry said Bout had returned to the country.
The president of the United States posted it on his Twitter account photos I met him with Grainer and Harris’ mother while talking on the phone with the American player en route to the United States.
A few moments ago I spoke with Brittney Griner.
She is safe.
She is on an airplane.
He’s coming home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022
Bot was facing a 25-year prison sentence in the US after being convicted of buying and exporting missiles and ‘conspiracy to kill Americans’, while a Russian court sentenced Greiner to nine years in the ‘drug trafficking’ case last October.
