Pope's Envoy Zuppi Given Access to Ukrainian POWs, Lubinets Says

Ukraine's parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on Saturday, 24 October, that for the first time since 2022 a representative of a foreign country was physically admitted to Ukrainian prisoners of war: the special envoy of Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

Lubinets announced it on social media. 'Separately, I was informed that for the first time since the start of the full-scale war, a foreign representative was physically allowed to see our guys: Pope Leo XIV's special envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi,' he wrote.

Contacts with Russia's ombudsperson

According to the ombudsman, the captured defenders also confirmed that representatives of Russia's human rights commissioner had started visiting them. Lubinets said he regularly meets Russian commissioner Yana Lantratova. The day before, they again discussed further steps for returning Ukrainian citizens.

'Every exchange is a negotiation. And it is a chance for progress in returning our prisoners of war and civilians,' Lubinets said.

Context: the latest exchange

On Friday, 23 October, 270 service members and civilians returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity, in a new prisoner swap. Those freed included defenders of Mariupol and five people who survived the Russian attack on the Olenivka prison in July 2022.

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