EU, NATO hail major 7-country prisoner exchange in Türkiye

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) — The EU and NATO on Thursday welcomed the release of opposition figures and journalists held in Russia in a prisoner swap conducted in Türkiye's capital in Ankara.

"The European Union is relieved by the release and transfer to freedom outside Russia and Belarus of a number of political prisoners, including EU citizens, facilitated with the help of Türkiye," foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement by the bloc's External Action Service.

Noting that the released individuals were unjustly persecuted in Russia and Belarus for political reasons, Borrell stressed that those still detained must be released "immediately and unconditionally."

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also welcomed the releases. She claimed the Kremlin swapped "innocent" EU, US and Russian citizens for "convicted criminals and murderers."

As part of the swap, 10 prisoners, including two children, were transferred to Russia.

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) led an extensive prisoner exchange involving seven countries on Thursday where 26 individuals were exchanged and transported to Ankara.

Seven aircraft from Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and two from the US transported the prisoners to Türkiye as part of the operation. Thirteen individuals were later transferred to Germany, 10, including two children, to Russia, and three to the US.

Thanking all actors who helped make the deal possible, EU Council President Charles Michel said: "I welcome the release of 16 people unjustly imprisoned by the Russian regime."

"EU will continue supporting and standing for all those illegally detained in Russia and elsewhere," Michel added.

Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, echoed Michel's statement and welcomed the exchange. "Their freedom should have never been in jeopardy," she added.

- NATO welcomes swap operation

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he welcomed the release of "wrongfully detained Allied citizens and Russian political prisoners."

Praising close cooperation between NATO members for this effort, he said: "The right to peaceful opposition and freedom of the media are vital for any functioning society."

The organization's spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah also called for all those still "wrongfully detained" to be released.