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Erdogan would like to discuss with Putin POWs exchange between Moscow and Kiev

The Turkish leader added that "the sides attach great importance to the issue of the exchange"

ANKARA, August 18. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he would like to discuss with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin the issue of an exchange of prisoners of war between Moscow and Kiev. He was speaking at a news conference in Lvov following a meeting with Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"Everyone who follows the events is interested to know what has happened to the exchange of prisoners of war. Of course, at the meeting we discussed POWs and the initiatives that we have in connection with this. And in this context, with Mr. Putin, with the Russian side, we will continue to evaluate all the results of this meeting," Erdogan told a news conference telecast on the NTV channel.

The Turkish leader added that "the sides attach great importance to the issue of the exchange."

He reiterated that he was ready to exert mediation efforts to address this issue.

On June 29, the first exchange of prisoners of war between the DPR and Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation took place, with 144 POWs released on either side. As the DPR’s leader Denis Pushilin said, Kiev had disrupted the exchange process thrice. Only the fourth attempt was successful.

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Ukraine crisis Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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