Bohdan Chumak: The involvement of a protecting power could become an effective tool in securing the return of prisoners of war

The involvement of a protecting power could be an effective diplomatic tool for obtaining information about prisoners of war (POWs) and facilitating their release. While Ukraine currently has no protecting power, significant efforts are underway to establish one.

This point was emphasized by Bohdan Chumak, an advisor to the International Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press conference at the Media Center Ukraine.

“Among diplomatic avenues, we believe the most effective is the involvement of a protecting power, which Ukraine currently does not have. However, we are actively working towards this goal and hope that the efforts, especially those led by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in the last months of 2024, will yield positive results and Ukraine will secure a protecting power,” Bohdan Chumak said.

According to Chumak, the involvement of a protecting power would allow Ukraine to use the options provided by the Geneva Conventions. This includes allowing representatives of the protecting power to visit detention facilities, gather information on the conditions and health of POWs, attend court hearings, and advocate on behalf of POWs during pseudo-trials that are being held against Ukrainians.

In addition, Chumak explained that a protecting power would create opportunities for mediating the repatriation of seriously wounded or ill POWs. It would also provide another avenue for effective prisoner exchanges and the broader release of Ukrainian POWs.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news