UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Dialogue between Russia and Ukraine that led to a prisoner exchange earlier this week has provided an opportunity for the two nations to seek an end to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Thursday.
“The Secretary General takes note of the release of Ukrainian citizen Nadiya Savchenko and Russian citizens Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov,” Haq said. “He is particularly encouraged at the dialogue in this regard between Kiev and Moscow and hopes this development will contribute to achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.”
Ukrainian national Savchenko was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin and sent to Kiev on Wednesday. On the same day, a plane carrying Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov, Russian citizens convicted for backing Ukrainian autonomy seekers, landed in Moscow following a pardon by President Petro Poroshenko.
