Putin thanks UAE for mediation on humanitarian issues in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked his Emirati counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed on Friday for his country's mediation in prisoner exchanges and other humanitarian issues between Russia and Ukraine. 

"I would like to thank you for your efforts to resolve humanitarian problems related to the events in Ukraine," Putin told him at a meeting on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, which the Emirati leader is attending as a guest. 

The Kremlin chief assured that the UAE is a "good and comfortable" partner for Russia and relations between the two countries are developing "quite successfully". 

Bin Zayed, for his part, assured that his country is ready to do what is necessary to contribute to the "stabilisation of the situation" in Ukraine and to help with humanitarian issues.

In June 2022, according to Russian media, Abu Dhabi approached Moscow with a proposal to mediate humanitarian exchanges with Ukraine.

The last swap with UAE participation reported by Russian and Ukrainian official sources took place in February 2023.

"The group of released Russian servicemen includes persons of a 'sensitive category', whose exchange was made possible thanks to the mediation efforts of the UAE leadership," Russian Defence reported on 4 February.