Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the “friendly conversation” between him and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
And Zelensky said in a Twitter post on Thursday that he “had a friendly conversation with the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.”
I had a cordial conversation with Crown Prince Mohammed bin #Salmano. Thanked for the facilitation in the liberation of foreign citizens, involvement in mediation and the leading role of the 🇸🇦 in the region. We discussed 🇺🇦 energy security, post-conflict recovery and joint investment projects
– Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) September 22, 2022
He added that he thanked him for “facilitating the release of foreign citizens” who were detained by Russia.
He also thanked him for his “mediation efforts” and expressed his appreciation for “Saudi Arabia’s leading role in the region”.
The Ukrainian president confirmed that he had discussed several dossiers with the Saudi crown prince, including “energy security in Ukraine, post-war recovery and joint investment projects”.
The statements of the Ukrainian president come after the completion of exchange of prisoners It was brokered by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where Kiev and Moscow exchanged 215 prisoners, including 10 foreigners.
According to Zelensky, Russia recovered 55 prisoners, while the swap agreement included five Britons and Americans, as well as one Swede, one Croatian and one Moroccan.
American families: Alexander Drake, 39, and Andy Hoyn, 27, confirmed their release, and Russian authorities arrested them in June while fighting with Ukrainian forces in northern Kharkiv, according to a report released by the network. .CNN“.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday that the 10 released prisoners “were released as part of a prisoner-of-war exchange between Russia and Ukraine and were transferred to the Kingdom.”
# Declaration | Building on His Highness interests the Crown Prince and continuing his efforts to take humanitarian initiatives for the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, His Highness managed to mediate the release of ten prisoners from five countries as part of a process of exchange of prisoners pic.twitter.com/6SbThIc9y6
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) September 21, 2022
The ministry said the step came in the wake of the efforts of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, “and in continuation of his efforts to take humanitarian initiatives towards the Russian-Ukrainian crisis”.
On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Liz Truss welcomed news of the release of five British POWs detained in eastern Ukraine and their transfer to Riyadh.
“Very welcome news of the safe return of five British citizens who were detained by Russian delegates in eastern Ukraine, ending months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families,” he said in a Twitter post.
The hugely welcome news that five British citizens detained by Russian-backed delegates in eastern Ukraine have been safely repatriated, ending months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families.
– Liz Truss (@trussliz) September 21, 2022
He thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saudi Arabia for helping to free them.
I thank @ZelenskyyUa for its efforts to secure the release of detainees and Saudi Arabia for their assistance.
Russia must end the ruthless exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political ends.
– Liz Truss (@trussliz) September 21, 2022
The Moroccan released is Ibrahim Saadoun, sentenced to death by the authorities of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” in June, according to a Moroccan official at the Moroccan embassy in Riyadh.
Ibrahim’s father had stated in previous statements to the Moroccan media that his son was “a student in Ukraine when the Russian attack began”, stressing that “he was not a mercenary”.
After being sentenced to death, the Embassy of Rabat in Ukraine said that Saadoun “joined the ranks of the Ukrainian army of his own free will” and that “he has Ukrainian citizenship”, considering that he is “held by a entity that is neither recognized by the United Nations nor by Morocco. ”“ He was arrested while wearing the uniform of the State Army of Ukraine, as a member of a unit of the Ukrainian Navy ”.
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