The U.S. government praised the recent exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and the Russian militants. In the respective statement, Department of the State offered the warring sides to exchange the POWs in 'all for all' format.
'The United States welcomes yesterday’s exchange between the government of Ukraine and Russia-led forces in eastern Ukraine of more than 300 detainees. This exchange is one step toward implementation of the Minsk agreements. We once again call on the sides to fully implement their Minsk commitments including through a true “all-for-all” detainee exchange; a full ceasefire; the withdrawal of heavy weapons; safe and secure access for OSCE Special Monitoring Mission monitors; and humanitarian access to the conflict zone. The fighting in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 10,000 lives and damaged important civilian infrastructure. Russia, which started this conflict and perpetuates it through active leadership of military units on the ground that attack Ukrainian positions daily, must commit to bringing it to an end', the statement reads as posted on Department of the State's web site.
