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| US reacts to major prisoner swap with Russia: ‘feat of democracy’ and ‘joyous’ | US reacts to major prisoner swap with Russia: ‘feat of democracy’ and ‘joyous’ |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| White House, WSJ and politicians praise Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan’s release in a likely political coup for Biden | |
| The White House celebrated a “feat of diplomacy” on Thursday after a major prisoner swap between Russia and the west that included the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan, among others. | The White House celebrated a “feat of diplomacy” on Thursday after a major prisoner swap between Russia and the west that included the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan, among others. |
| Both are US citizens accused by Russian authorities of espionage, charges they and the US government have denied, and a possible exchange had been mooted for months. | Both are US citizens accused by Russian authorities of espionage, charges they and the US government have denied, and a possible exchange had been mooted for months. |
| The exchange on Thursday occurred at Ankara airport in Turkey, and involved people held in seven different countries including the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, with Turkish presidency saying 10 prisoners were relocated to Russia and 13 prisoners to Germany and three to the US. Among the prisoners returning to Russia was the assassin Vadim Krasikov, who had been held in a German prison since 2019 for murdering a Chechen exile in Berlin in broad daylight. | The exchange on Thursday occurred at Ankara airport in Turkey, and involved people held in seven different countries including the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, with Turkish presidency saying 10 prisoners were relocated to Russia and 13 prisoners to Germany and three to the US. Among the prisoners returning to Russia was the assassin Vadim Krasikov, who had been held in a German prison since 2019 for murdering a Chechen exile in Berlin in broad daylight. |
| Joe Biden said in a statement immediately following the news that the three American citizens and one American green-card holder were “unjustly” imprisoned in Russia – in addition to Gershkovich and Whelan, the other two are Alsu Kurmasheva, a US-Russian journalist, and Vladimir Kara-Murza – “was a feat of diplomacy”. | |
| “All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia – including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.” | “All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia – including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.” |
| Biden added he was grateful to the allies of the US who “stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome”, including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey. | Biden added he was grateful to the allies of the US who “stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome”, including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey. |
| “This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.” | “This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.” |
| Shortly afterward, Biden delivered remarks from the White House, surrounded by family members of the freed prisoners. | |
| “This is a very good afternoon,” the president said, adding that he and the family members had been able to speak to the released prisoners on the phone. | |
| He also asked the room to sing happy birthday to 12-year-old Miriam, daughter of Kurmasheva, who he said is turning 13 on Friday. | |
| The swap is likely to be considered a political coup for Biden in the waning months of his presidency, and a blow to Donald Trump, who has claimed on the 2024 campaign trail that he would free Gershkovich if re-elected. Trump has frequently voiced admiration for the Russian presdient, Vladimir Putin, and said in May on his social media site, Truth Social, that if he won the November election Gershkovich would be “released almost immediately after the election, but definitely before I assume office”, adding that Putin would “do that for me, but not for anyone else”. | The swap is likely to be considered a political coup for Biden in the waning months of his presidency, and a blow to Donald Trump, who has claimed on the 2024 campaign trail that he would free Gershkovich if re-elected. Trump has frequently voiced admiration for the Russian presdient, Vladimir Putin, and said in May on his social media site, Truth Social, that if he won the November election Gershkovich would be “released almost immediately after the election, but definitely before I assume office”, adding that Putin would “do that for me, but not for anyone else”. |
| Today, we celebrate the release of Paul, Evan, Alsu, Vladimir, and others who were unjustly held in Russia. It gives me great comfort to know that their horrible ordeal is over and that they will soon be reunited with their families. @POTUS and I will not stop working until every… | Today, we celebrate the release of Paul, Evan, Alsu, Vladimir, and others who were unjustly held in Russia. It gives me great comfort to know that their horrible ordeal is over and that they will soon be reunited with their families. @POTUS and I will not stop working until every… |
| Kamala Harris, vice-president and frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president, echoed Biden’s words and added: “I will not stop working until every American who is wrongfully detained or held hostage is brought home.” | Kamala Harris, vice-president and frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president, echoed Biden’s words and added: “I will not stop working until every American who is wrongfully detained or held hostage is brought home.” |
| Reuters reported that Harris will return to Washington DC from Houston to welcome the Americans back to the US. | |
| Emma Tucker, the editor of the Wall Street Journal, described the event as a “joyous day” for friends, family and colleagues of Gershkovich, as well as the “the millions of well-wishers in the US and around the world who stood with Evan and defended the free press”. | Emma Tucker, the editor of the Wall Street Journal, described the event as a “joyous day” for friends, family and colleagues of Gershkovich, as well as the “the millions of well-wishers in the US and around the world who stood with Evan and defended the free press”. |
| “The ordeal of Evan and the other returnees – along with those Americans still being wrongfully detained around the world – demonstrates the urgent need for a change in the dynamic to prevent the future seizure of innocent hostages,” Tucker added. | “The ordeal of Evan and the other returnees – along with those Americans still being wrongfully detained around the world – demonstrates the urgent need for a change in the dynamic to prevent the future seizure of innocent hostages,” Tucker added. |
| Current and former US government officials and press freedom groups similarly rejoiced at the news. | Current and former US government officials and press freedom groups similarly rejoiced at the news. |
| Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat, said he was “overjoyed”. “To be clear, none of those whom Russia has released today did anything wrong. Journalism is not a crime. These arrests have been examples of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s cynical ‘hostage diplomacy,’” Coons said. | Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a Democrat, said he was “overjoyed”. “To be clear, none of those whom Russia has released today did anything wrong. Journalism is not a crime. These arrests have been examples of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s cynical ‘hostage diplomacy,’” Coons said. |
| Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, celebrated the release in a statement on X, thanking those all those “who worked to free these fighters for freedom, human rights and democracy”. | Michael McFaul, the former US ambassador to Russia, celebrated the release in a statement on X, thanking those all those “who worked to free these fighters for freedom, human rights and democracy”. |
| Three of my Russian friends -- Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin & Oleg Orlov -- will be free today! Thank you to all those who worked to free these fighters for freedom, human rights, and democracy. | Three of my Russian friends -- Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin & Oleg Orlov -- will be free today! Thank you to all those who worked to free these fighters for freedom, human rights, and democracy. |
| Representative Haley Stevens, who represents Michigan’s 11th congressional district where Whelan lives, released a statement welcoming him home. | Representative Haley Stevens, who represents Michigan’s 11th congressional district where Whelan lives, released a statement welcoming him home. |
| “You lost your job, your home and your dog, but you never lost your faith, and we never lost our faith in you,” she said.Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the House foreign affairs committee, said in a statement on Thursday: “If these reports are true, I am thrilled Evan, Paul, Alsu, Vladimir and many others who have been illegally held by Putin’s regime are finally coming home to their families.” | “You lost your job, your home and your dog, but you never lost your faith, and we never lost our faith in you,” she said.Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the House foreign affairs committee, said in a statement on Thursday: “If these reports are true, I am thrilled Evan, Paul, Alsu, Vladimir and many others who have been illegally held by Putin’s regime are finally coming home to their families.” |
| But McCaul added that he remained “concerned that continuing to trade innocent Americans for actual Russian criminals held in the US and elsewhere sends a dangerous message to Putin that only encourages further hostage taking by his regime”. | But McCaul added that he remained “concerned that continuing to trade innocent Americans for actual Russian criminals held in the US and elsewhere sends a dangerous message to Putin that only encourages further hostage taking by his regime”. |
| Jodie Ginsberg, the chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, welcomed thenews but said “it does not change the fact that Russia continues to suppress a free press”, while Reporters Without Borders told Axios they were “relieved” but wanted to “emphasize that he never should have spent a single day in a Russian prison for doing his job as a journalist”. It added that more than 40 other journalists remain detained in Russia. | Jodie Ginsberg, the chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, welcomed thenews but said “it does not change the fact that Russia continues to suppress a free press”, while Reporters Without Borders told Axios they were “relieved” but wanted to “emphasize that he never should have spent a single day in a Russian prison for doing his job as a journalist”. It added that more than 40 other journalists remain detained in Russia. |
| The swap comes a year and a half after the Biden administration secured the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner in late 2022, who had been held in Russian jail for almost 10 months on drug charges and was freed in exchange for the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. At the time, Biden expressed regret that the deal did not include Whelan, who had been detained since 2018. | The swap comes a year and a half after the Biden administration secured the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner in late 2022, who had been held in Russian jail for almost 10 months on drug charges and was freed in exchange for the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. At the time, Biden expressed regret that the deal did not include Whelan, who had been detained since 2018. |
| Earlier in 2022, the Biden administration also secured the release of former US marine Trevor Reed, who was arrested in 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven by police to a police station after a night of heavy drinking. Reed was released in exchange for a convicted Russian drug trafficker who was serving a long prison sentence in America. | Earlier in 2022, the Biden administration also secured the release of former US marine Trevor Reed, who was arrested in 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven by police to a police station after a night of heavy drinking. Reed was released in exchange for a convicted Russian drug trafficker who was serving a long prison sentence in America. |
| On Thursday, Jonathan Franks, the spokesperson for the Bring Our Families Home campaign,, a coalition of family members of US citizens detained abroad, said in a statement that the release of Gershkovich and Whelan was going to be a “legacy piece for President Biden” adding that the Biden administration has “brought home a historic number of people”. | On Thursday, Jonathan Franks, the spokesperson for the Bring Our Families Home campaign,, a coalition of family members of US citizens detained abroad, said in a statement that the release of Gershkovich and Whelan was going to be a “legacy piece for President Biden” adding that the Biden administration has “brought home a historic number of people”. |