Muratov: Uitkoff should not return from Moscow on an empty plane
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov called on Donald Trump's negotiators, Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to raise the issue of releasing political prisoners in Russia during their meetings with Vladimir Putin. He stated that the US representatives could take the released prisoners with them on their plane when returning from the Kremlin.
Muratov: Witkoff should not return from Moscow on an empty plane
Co-founder and former editor-in-chief of "Novaya Gazeta" Dmitry Muratov appealed to US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steven Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Muratov urged them to raise the issue of releasing Russian political prisoners during negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Nobel laureate expressed this opinion on September 19 on CNN. In his view, respect for human rights and the risk of a large-scale international conflict are directly linked.
According to Muratov, Witkoff could take several released prisoners on his plane when returning to the US after his next meeting at the Kremlin.
"Why can't he ask Mr. Putin, with whom he has good relations, to release several political prisoners?" he said.
Muratov noted that Witkoff's plane usually returns to the US without passengers after negotiations in Moscow. The journalist believes that American representatives should also use their diplomatic contacts to free people.
As an example, Muratov cited the negotiations conducted by US special envoy John Cole with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Following another meeting with Cole on September 16, 25 more political prisoners were released from Belarusian colonies. In return, the US lifted sanctions imposed on two Belarusian enterprises.
According to Muratov, similar negotiations on the release of prisoners can also be conducted with Russia.
Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner last met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on September 5. This was Witkoff's eighth visit to Moscow to discuss possibilities for ending the war in Ukraine.
The following day, the American representatives traveled by train via Poland to Kyiv, where they held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They then returned to the US via Poland.