Russian opposition figure in exile Yulia Navalnaya called on Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump to reach an agreement for the release of Russian and Ukrainian political prisoners held by Moscow for speaking out against the war.

Navalnaya, whose husband Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison last year, spoke in a video address posted on social media hours before the two leaders met in Alaska to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

“You must take an irreversible step, something that cannot be undone,” Navalnaya said, addressing Putin and Trump.

“Release the Russian political activists and journalists. Release the Ukrainian civilians. Release those imprisoned for anti-war statements and social media posts,” she added, as quoted by AFP.

Trump and Putin have previously reached agreements for the release of Russians and Americans detained in each other’s countries.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden negotiated a major prisoner swap last year, resulting in the release of two American journalists and several Russian opposition figures in exchange for a group of Russian intelligence agents captured in Europe.

Russia has prosecuted hundreds of people for opposing its invasion of Ukraine.

In the days following his order for troops to enter the neighboring country, Moscow passed strict military censorship laws prohibiting any criticism of the army or the dissemination of information from non-governmental sources.

Kyiv claims that thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been detained in Russia and in parts of Ukraine occupied by the Russian military since February 2022. | BGNES