Danilov suggests that if the exchange of Medvedchuk were to happen, it would require third party involvement

Secretary of the Council of National Security and Defence of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov stated that even if the exchange of People's Deputy Viktor Medvedchuk, suspected of treason, were to happen, it would require third party involvement.

He mentioned this on April 18 during a telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"Do not think that we are the kind of people who would allow them to both get their friend and destroy Mariupol. We are aware of who we are dealing with, and you heard what our President said (in the CNN interview – Ed.) – there is no trust. And if that (the Viktor Medvedchuck exchange – Ed.) were to happen, it would involve a third party as a facilitator, so that everybody understands that they will have to fulfil the responsibilities they are taking upon themselves," Danilov said.

He reminded the audience that even when the russian side takes some kind of responsibility upon themselves, they forget it.

"And that is a great treagedy for them. They led themselves into a trap where nobody trusts them anymore. And today we have such a situation that, if this were to happen, it would first be thoroughly worked through. But first we should wait and see if putin needs Medvedchuk at all. As you know, we have not received an answer to this question," Danilov said.

As IMI has reported, on April 18, OPFL People's Deputy Viktor Medvedchuk appealed to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the president of rf vladimir putin with a proposal to exchange him for Mariupol defenders and residents.

The SSU detained Medvedchuk on April 12. On April 13, Lychakiv District Court of Lviv arrested 154 more items of movable and immovable property of People's Deputy Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife Oksana Marchenko.

On April 16, the Lychakiv District Court of Lviv chose detention as preventive measure for Viktor Medvedchuk.

Viktor Medvedchuk had been under house arrest, but before the start of the full-scale invasion he disappeared and was in hiding. According to UP, law enforcers had intelligence that the suspect had left his estate around February 24, turned off his phones and had not been in touch since. On March 18, 2022, the Lychakiv District Court of Lviv chose detention as preventive measure for Viktor Medvedchuk.

Medvedchuk is suspected of treason and aiding terrorism.