The Russian side in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) and representatives of the ORDLO at a meeting in Minsk again rejected Kyiv’s proposal to release hostages and political prisoners in 23/23 and 66/19 format, proposed for December 27, First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukraine’s envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group’s humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko has said.
“The Ukrainian side once again conveyed the suggestion on releasing the arrested Russians in exchange for Ukrainians in Russian prisons and pardoning the separatists in exchange for Ukrainians in the occupied territories. We gave specific lists and suggestions in 23/23 and 66/19 format with a proposal to release our military and civilians from ORDLO before the New Year and Christmas holidays. We are ready to repeat last year’s success and hold the next stage of release on December 27,” she wrote on her Facebook page about the TCG meeting in Minsk on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, the Russian Federation and their puppets refused another initiative of Ukraine and thwarted this proposal of the release of Ukrainians. Responsibility for blocking hostages’ release is completely on the Russian side,” the Ukrainian representative in the TCG stressed.
