On the issue of prisoner exchange, Gerashchenko expressed readiness for “the broadest sensible compromise”
During today's meeting in Minsk, the Ukrainian side expressed its readiness to exchange detainees with both Russia and the Donbass republics.
Irina Gerashchenko, Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada and Kyiv's representative at the Minsk negotiations, made the announcement on her Facebook page , reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
So, according to her, during today’s meeting of the humanitarian group in Minsk, the Kiev side expressed its readiness to hand over to the Russian Federation 23 Russians held in Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners in Russian prisons. Now Kyiv is awaiting the reaction and response of the Russian side to these initiatives.
The issue of exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and the Donbass republics was also raised.
“Here we are ready for the broadest common sense compromise, with the exception of unacceptable positions, such as the release of Berkut soldiers and so on,” Gerashchenko noted.
In addition, Gerashchenko was extremely upset that when the issue of missing persons was raised, the Russian side expressed a categorical position that this problem should be discussed with representatives of Donbass, and not with them.
“Unfortunately, the other side – the Russian Federation and their minions – take a destructive position on this issue and do not agree to the participation of Russian experts and representatives in such a mechanism, saying, “we are not there, the Russian Federation has nothing to do with it, this is an internal conflict” and so on “, she complained.
“The next meeting is in Minsk in two weeks. I really want to make progress on the issue of releasing the hostages,” Gerashchenko concluded.