12:22 16.12.2016

Biden hopes for hostage swap progress after goodwill gesture by Kyiv

2 min read
Biden hopes for hostage swap progress after goodwill gesture by Kyiv

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden supports the decision by the Ukrainian side to turn over 15 prisoners from a list of representatives of various districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and hopes Russia and pro-Russia militants will react to the goodwill gesture.

"The VP expressed his support for the decision of Ukrainian officials to unilaterally free 15 individuals … with the hope Russia and pro-Russia militants will respond in kind … It is a gesture of goodwill and will give an impulse to the exchange of prisoners foreseen in the Minsk agreements," the U.S. White House said on Friday following talks between Biden and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

According to the White House, the interlocutors confirmed resolute support for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements and underlined the necessity of full ceasefire and ensuring the complete access of observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for monitoring the withdrawal of forces along the disengagement line.

The leaders agreed sanctions against Russia must remain in place until Russia fully complies with its obligations under the Minsk agreements.

In addition, Biden expressed the hope that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will be ratified in the near future and Ukrainians will soon receive visa-free status in Europe.

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