The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the United Arab Emirates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the success of the mediation led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the release and exchange of two prisoners between the United States of America and the Russian Federation.
A joint statement issued by the two ministries confirmed that the success of the mediation efforts is a reflection of the joint and close friendship between their two countries with the United States of America and the Russian Federation, and the important role played by the leaderships of the two brotherly countries in promoting dialogue between all parties.
The statement indicated that Abu Dhabi received, on Jumada al-Awwal 14, 1444 AH, corresponding to December 8, 2022, the American citizen, Brittney Grainer, via a private plane coming from Moscow, after the Russian authorities released her, in conjunction with the reception of the Russian citizen, Victor Bout, via a private plane coming from Washington, after the US authorities released him, in the presence of specialists from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The American and Russian sides received their citizens in preparation for their transfer to their countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the United Arab Emirates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed the thanks of the governments of the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the governments of the United States of America and the Russian Federation for their cooperation and response to the joint mediation efforts made by the leaderships of the two countries.