You're reading: Associated Press: Zelensky says he backs prisoner swap with Russia

Associated Press: Zelensky says he backs prisoner swap with Russia

By Associated Press.

Published July 19, 2019 at 11:56 am

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures as he speaks during a press conference on the outcome of the Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv on July 8, 2019.

Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is willing to swap a jailed Russian journalist for an imprisoned Ukrainian film director.

Zelensky said in televised comments July 19 that Ukraine could release journalist Kirill Vyshynsky, who have been in jail for a year on treason charges, if Russia releases film director Oleg Sentsov from Russia-occupied Crimea. Sentsov is serving 20 years in a Russian prison for plotting acts of terrorism.