Ukraine working to create international coalition to secure return of civilian detainees – Mezentseva

Ukraine is actively seeking to establish an international coalition to secure the release of civilian detainees held in Russian captivity, according to Maria Mezentseva, head of Ukraine's Permanent Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and vice president of the Assembly. During a recent session of PACE, Mezentseva reported that Ukrainian representatives met with PACE President Petra Bayr and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, alongside families of detainees and a marine suffering from tuberculosis.

The Ukrainian delegation is working in coordination with the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War to organize an international event in France to address the issue of civilian detainees. A summit on this matter is planned for December 2 in Paris. Mezentseva emphasized that launching joint medical commissions with the Center for Civil Liberties, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is a top priority.

These commissions would ideally include representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and independent doctors from other countries to access detainees in Russian custody. Russia has agreed to the concept, but the mechanism was never implemented after going through Russian ministries. Mezentseva stressed that creating such a mechanism would be a significant step forward on the global stage.

Ukraine aims to form a broad international coalition for detainees, similar to the one being developed to support veterans, with the ultimate goal of returning all Ukrainian citizens, both adults and children, to their homes. This fourth point of the peace plan backed by the Assembly and Council of Europe Secretary General is a critical objective.