Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukraine says ready for any prisoner swap format in Mariupol

BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday his country stands ready for any format of prisoner exchange with Russia to free people from the besieged city of Mariupol, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

"We are ready for any format of exchange for the sake of our people, both military and civilian," Zelensky said during a joint briefing with European Council President Charles Michel in Kiev.

Currently, some 120,000 civilians remain in Mariupol, Zelensky said, noting that the humanitarian situation in the city is deteriorating.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to receive him to discuss steps to bring about peace following Russia's special military operation in its neighbor.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said on Wednesday in a statement that separate letters were sent Tuesday afternoon to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine to the UN, asking Vladimir Putin to receive Guterres in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky to receive him in Kiev.

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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries are doing everything to prolong the armed conflict in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

NATO countries are increasing the supplies of military equipment, weapons and ammunition to Ukraine and pushing Kiev to continue "aggression" against Donbass, Zakharova said at her weekly briefing.

These deeds go against NATO countries' words that hostilities in Ukraine should end as soon as possible, she said.

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Ukraine and Russia have reached a preliminary agreement on establishing a humanitarian corridor to evacuate women, children and the elderly from the embattled city of Mariupol, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Wednesday.

Mariupol's residents will be evacuated to Ukraine's southern city of Zaporizhzhia through the Berdyansk town, which is controlled by Russian forces, Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Vadym Boichenko, mayor of Mariupol, said on national television that Ukraine hopes to send 90 buses to the besieged city to evacuate about 6,000 women, children and elderly people. ■