Kremlin set to follow Medvedchuk situation, urges European politicians to act likewise

MOSCOW. April 13 (Interfax) - Moscow is set to follow the situation of Ukrainian opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk and urges European politicians to act likewise, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Indeed, we will be monitoring the Viktor Medvedchuk situation, and, by the way, we are urging European politicians, who care so much about free speech and say that a person cannot be prosecuted for political reasons, to act likewise," Peskov said.

"This is exactly the kind of situation, and it would be reasonable to expect them [the Europeans] to prevent Kyiv regime members from prosecuting a person for his political views," he said.

"Everything that has happened to Medvedchuk is an illustrative example of what the Kyiv regime really is," Peskov said.

The authorities of Russia and the Donbas republics "are very grateful to Medvedchuk for organizing prisoner swaps in recent years and resolving other humanitarian matters, which he addressed, in particular, at the request of the authorities in Kyiv," he said.

Meanwhile, Moscow does not think it possible to exchange Medvedchuk for Ukrainian prisoners of war, as he is not a Russian citizen and bears no relation to the special operation, Peskov said.

"As for the exchange numerous actors in Kyiv have been talking about with so much passion, ardor and pleasure, Medvedchuk is not a Russian citizen and bears no relation to the special military operation. He is a foreign politician," Peskov said at a press briefing.

"Besides, we do not know whether he wants Russia to be involved in any way in the resolution of the libelous situation he is currently facing," Peskov said.