Russia and Ukraine have conducted their first prisoner swap in almost four months, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) acting as a mediator.

The UAE, which also mediated the previous swap on Feb. 8, played a crucial role in this latest exchange. The February swap took place approximately two weeks after Russia reported the downing of a military plane near Belgorod, which was carrying prisoners for an exchange with Ukraine.

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Earlier in May, a top Ukrainian intelligence officer suggested that Ukraine might need to negotiate with Russia to end the war, indicating a possible shift in the country’s approach to the conflict.

Back in January, the Russian President had blamed Ukraine for shooting down a plane carrying 65 prisoners of war, further straining the already tense relationship between the two countries.

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Photo by Anna Aybetova on Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari