President Biden called Thursday’s prisoner swap deal with Russia, which secured the release of Wall Street Journal reporters Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and others, a “diplomatic feat.”
“The family and I were able to speak by phone from the Oval Office a moment ago. They have left Russia. Earlier today, they flew to Turkey and will board a plane shortly to return home to be with their families,” Biden said in a White House speech. “This is an incredible relief for all of the families gathered here. It’s also a relief for our friends and colleagues across the country who have been praying for this day for so long.”
“The agreement that made this possible is a feat of diplomacy and friendship. Many nations worked together to make it happen,” Biden added. “They participated in difficult and complex negotiations at my request, and I personally thank them all again.”
“Russia has released 16 prisoners in total. Eight Russians who were being held in Western countries will also be returning home. The 16 prisoners released by Russia include four Americans, five Germans and seven Russian nationals who were political prisoners in their own country,” Biden continued.
Live updates: Prisoner exchange deal with Russia
Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested on suspicion of espionage, talks with his lawyer from inside his defense cage in Moscow in April 2024.
“Three American citizens and one American green card holder who were wrongfully imprisoned in Russia will finally be coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Ars Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza,” the president said in a statement released earlier by the White House.
“Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in show trials, and sentenced them to long prison terms for absolutely no justification — nothing at all,” Biden said.
“Some of these women and men have been wrongfully detained for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their suffering ends,” Biden said.
President Biden (right) shakes hands with Elizabeth Whelan (left) as he speaks about the prisoner exchange with Russia in the State Dining Room of the White House on Thursday, August 1 in Washington, DC. (AP/Evan Vucci)
“I’m grateful to our allies, including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey, who stood with us throughout the difficult and complex negotiations to achieve this outcome. This is a powerful example of why it’s important to have friends in this world we can trust and rely on. Our alliances keep Americans safe,” Biden continued.
WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich released in prisoner swap with Russia; Paul Whelan also released
“And let me be clear: I will not stop until every American who has been unjustly detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their families,” he added.
US military veteran Paul Whelan is set free after years of captivity in Russia. ((Photo credit: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images))
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested and charged with espionage while covering a trip to the Ural Mountain city of Yekaterinburg on March 29, 2023. The Biden administration declared he was “unlawfully detained,” and both The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government have staunchly denied the charges, describing them as absurd on their face.
Whelan had been held in a Russian detention facility for years, and sources familiar with the matter told Fox News that Turkish intelligence played a key role in brokering the prisoner swap.
The last time Russia exchanged prisoners with the United States was in December 2022, when it traded basketball player Brittney Griner for arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner was serving a nine-year sentence in Russia for marijuana smuggling and possession. As with Gershkovich’s case, Griner’s harsh sentence was seen as effectively holding an American hostage for Russia to gain leverage over the United States.
President Biden spoke about the prisoner exchange agreement on Thursday as hostage families looked on. (AP/Alex Brandon)
“It says a lot about America that we are working tirelessly to free Americans unjustly detained around the world,” Biden said in his speech Thursday.
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“It says a lot about us that this agreement includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders shot them in prison. The United States also helped secure their release. That’s who we are as Americans,” he added. “We stand up for freedom, liberty and justice — not just for our own people, but for others too. That’s why all Americans can be proud of what we’ve accomplished today.”
Fox News’ David Lutz, Brian Flood and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
