European Parliament calls for pressure on Russia toward "all-for-all" prisoner exchange with Ukraine

The European Conservatives and Reformists Group proposed adopting a corresponding resolution at the next plenary session during the hearings on the human dimension of the consequences of Russia's aggression against Ukraine at a parliamentary session on Monday in Strasbourg, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The attitude of the Russians towards prisoners of war and civilians certainly comes from the Russian tradition, and this means only violence, torture and death, said Polish MEP Michal Dworczyk, speaking on behalf of his group. He recalled multiple reports of inhuman treatment of POWs in Russia in a gross violation of international norms and human rights, which cannot go unpunished.

He said the recent prisoner exchanges were a good sign, while remaining insufficient in the current circumstances.

The European Parliament must put pressure on Russia to exchange all prisoners for all, Dworczyk said, adding that his parliamentary group is in favor of the European Parliament adopting a resolution in the next plenary session.

His colleague from the Renew Europe group, Petras Auštřevičius, focused on the issue of civilian prisoners who are illegally held by Russia, and abducted Ukrainian children.

The appearance of those who have returned from Russian captivity best reflects what Ukrainians are going through, MP noted, adding that they have gone “through hell”.

The whereabouts of fewer than 2,000 Ukrainian civilians held in Russian captivity have been established, the lawmaker said.

He has been monitoring the case of Dmytro Khlyuk, a civilian journalist captured by the Russians near Kyiv in March 2022, who still remains imprisoned in a colony near Moscow, deprived of contact with the outside world.

His father, Vasyl, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and his only wish is to hear his son’s voice again, MP recalled, calling to hold Russia accountable for the war crimes it has committed and continues to commit.

As reported earlier, the European Commission provides effective support to the efforts being made by Ukraine and the international community to bring Russia to account for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression committed during the invasion of Ukraine.

This was stated on Monday, June 16, at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, during hearings on the human dimension of the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine, by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.