President Donald Trump is set to host former Russian ballerina Ksenia Karelina at the White House on Monday, just a month after her release from a Russian prison, as reported by Fox News Digital.
Karelina, who had been sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2024, returned to the U.S. on April 10 as part of a U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange. In a video shared by Deputy Trump aide Sebastian Gorka, she expressed her gratitude, saying, “Mr. Trump, I’m so grateful that you took me home.”
The White House confirmed that Karelina will be visiting on Monday afternoon.
Born in Russia, Karelina had been living and working in Los Angeles when she was arrested while visiting family in Yekaterinburg. Reports indicated that she had made a small donation to a charity supporting Ukraine, which caught the attention of Russian authorities.
Initially charged with “little hooliganism,” the accusations against her escalated to treason, as Russian officials claimed she supported pro-Ukraine activities in the U.S. Her release was part of an arrangement that also freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen facing charges related to sensitive U.S. electronics.
After her release, Karelina’s family expressed immense relief. Her former stepmother, Eleonra Slebroski, conveyed her emotional response to the news, crediting Trump for the outcome. “This is beyond emotion… this is healing,” she stated, noting they had hoped for such a resolution with the Trump administration.
Karelina’s boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, shared the couple’s desire to personally thank Trump for his role in her release. He emphasized his lack of interest in political matters, simply wanting to express gratitude. “I was begging the Biden administration for a year to bring Xenia back,” he remarked, revealing that he lost faith in that effort after several months.
The case has drawn attention, particularly following the release of other Americans, including teacher Mark Vogel, who had been detained in Russia since 2021 on marijuana possession charges.
