Russia must release all captured, jailed Ukrainians

10:28, 18.06.2019 1 min read

All Ukrainian citizens captured by and jailed in Russia should be released and Russia also must release 24 Ukrainian sailors in accordance with the ruling by the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"I am very grateful to [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron for attention to the fate of captured and jailed Ukrainian citizens. All of them must be released as soon as possible. Russia also must comply with the ITLOS ruling and return the 24 Ukrainian sailors, and I very much believe it will," Zelensky said at a joint briefing with Macron after their meeting in Paris on Monday.

Zelensky thanked France for denouncing Russia's actions in the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait.

"We will continue to cooperate with France and other partners, NATO members, to guarantee safe navigation in the Black and Azov seas and unhindered passage by vessels in Kerch Strait," Zelensky said.