Mar 18, Kathmandu- Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha in New Delhi.

The meeting was held today while they were there for the Raisina Dialogue organized by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. It is said that Nepal-Ukraine relations and various issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting. On that occasion, Minister Dr. Rana requested the Ukrainian government through him for the release of seven Nepali citizens who are in the custody of Ukrainian soldiers, according to Rana's secretariat.

Clarifying that it was later discovered that Nepalese were recruited into the Russian army through human traffickers, despite Nepal having no policy allowing Nepalese citizens to join the Russian army, Minister Dr. Rana demanded the release of the seven Nepalese serving in the Russian army as prisoners of war, who are in the custody of the Ukrainian army. Informing that the Nepal government has received information that they were forcibly recruited into the Russian army from remote areas of Nepal, she urged the Ukrainian Foreign Minister to free the seven Nepalis.

During that meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sibiha had expressed his commitment to complete the legal process and release them. During that meeting, Minister Dr. Rana requested the Ukrainian government's support in Nepal's candidacy for membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2027 to 2029, among other things.