Kathmandu: Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, has called on the Ukrainian government to release seven Nepali nationals currently being held captive by the Ukrainian military. Minister Rana made this appeal during a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India.
According to Minister Rana’s Secretariat, the issue was raised after reports indicated that the seven Nepali citizens are being held as prisoners of war by Ukrainian forces. She clarified that Nepal does not allow its citizens to enlist in foreign armies, including the Russian military, and emphasized that these individuals had been trafficked and forcibly recruited by human traffickers into the Russian army without the consent or knowledge of the Nepali government. Minister Rana explained that these individuals were taken from remote regions of Nepal.
In response, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sybiha assured that the necessary legal procedures would be completed, and the individuals would be released shortly.
In addition to the plea for the release of the Nepali nationals, Minister Rana also sought Ukraine’s support for Nepal’s candidacy for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2027–2029.
The two ministers also signed an agreement allowing visa-free entry for holders of official and diplomatic passports between Nepal and Ukraine, further strengthening bilateral ties.