Russian deputy FM hints at possibility of new prisoners’ exchange with US

Russia and the United States are to soon agree on the dates for the third round of consultations that are aimed at removing the "irritating" points in their bilateral relations.

This was announced by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov during a press conference on July 10, Caliber.Az reports citing TASS.

“I believe we will soon determine the dates for the third round of consultations, where these purely bilateral issues — known for some time now as 'irritants' — will be discussed,” he stated.

According to him, the dialogue was currently focusing on the issue of prisoner exchanges, noting that specialised agencies are involved in this process. The deputy foreign minister also did not rule out the possibility of new prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States.

The last such deal between Russian and the US took place in August 2024, when 26 people were exchanged in the Turkish capital of Ankara, marking the largest swap between the two superpowers since the end of the Cold War.

As part of the agreement that involved other Western countries as well, Russia released 18 individuals, including 3 American citizens in exchange for 8 Russian citizens.

By Nazrin Sadigova