Beijing supports 'all efforts conducive to peace,' says Chinese Foreign Ministry after Russia, Ukraine hold talks in Istanbul
China on Thursday welcomed the latest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine after they held talks in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul.
"We noted that Russia and Ukraine held a new round of direct talks this week and reached common understandings on humanitarian issues, including exchanging those held captive. China welcomes this," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing.
Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday reached an agreement in Istanbul on holding another round of prisoners of war exchange.
"On the Ukraine crisis, China’s position is consistent and clear," said Lin.
Beijing supports "all efforts conducive to peace and hopes parties will remain committed to the political settlement of the crisis and work together for de-escalation," Lin added.
Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul following the third round of the countries’ peace talks, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, said some 250 people from each side were exchanged.
"Currently, on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, the final batch of prisoners of war, approximately 250 persons on each side, are being exchanged. Thus, the second unprecedented large-scale exchange of roughly 1,200 individuals has been completed," he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange, noting more than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been returned home as a result of the humanitarian moves.
According to him, some of the soldiers were in Russian captivity for three years. He also said the soldiers will get medical care as well as psychological rehabilitation.
