Ukrainian and Russian representatives met in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi last week to discuss a prisoner exchange and the resumption of Russian ammonia exports, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing its sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The company notes that it does not know the outcome of the negotiations.
The meeting was scheduled to be held on November 17. Whistleblowers told Reuters the talks were negotiated by one of the Gulf states without participation. UNDespite the fact that this organization plays an important role in negotiating the “Grains Initiative”, that is, the export of agricultural products from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
Talks about prisoner exchange and resumption of ammonia exports
Interlocutors of the agency, reported by representatives Russia And Ukraine discussed the possibility of resuming ammonia exports in exchange for a prisoner exchange that would free a large number of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners. Russian ammonia, needed for the production of fertilizers, is transported by pipeline to Asia and Africa. Ukraine.
Reuters did not know what was agreed during the talks. Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Botner, told the agency that “the release of our prisoners is part of the negotiations on Russian ammonia exports,” adding that Ukraine was trying to use every opportunity to free the prisoners. Reuters reported that it had no knowledge of the meeting in the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE foreign ministry, Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. A UN spokesman declined to answer when asked if the organization was involved in the talks.
Abu DhabiShutterstock
Ammonia traffic was halted after Russia’s attack on Ukraine
The pipeline will transport 2.5 million tons of ammonia per year from Russia’s Volga region to international buyers at Bivtenne (Yushne) near the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa. It was closed after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ammonia exports are not part of the UN-backed Grain Corridor deal that restarted agricultural exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Zelensky set the conditions
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky He listed a number of conditions that Russia would have to meet in order to re-transport the ammonia through the pipeline, including the exchange of prisoners of war and allowing the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv to reopen.
Volodymyr Zelenskyt.me/V_Zelenskiy_official
The agency said, citing two sources, that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan visited Moscow last month and held discussions there. Vladimir Putin Abu Dhabi’s ability to act as an intermediary in ammonia export negotiations.
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