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US journalist Gershkovich among 26 freed in Russia prisoner deal with West

US journalist Gershkovich among 26 freed in Russia prisoner deal with West

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A major international prisoner swap has taken place, involving 26 prisoners from seven countries, including the United States, Russia, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, Poland, and Turkey. The swap is one of the biggest East-West prisoner exchanges since the Cold War. The deal involves the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed in Russia on espionage charges he and the US deny, and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was also being held in Russia on similar charges. The US has argued that both men were being wrongfully detained. In return, the West released Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian assassin. The swap was mediated by Turkey and took place at an airport in Ankara, Turkey. The deal has been hailed as a "feat of diplomacy" by US President Joe Biden, who has vowed to continue working to free other Americans who are being held hostage or wrongfully detained around the world. The Kremlin has declined to comment on the exchange.

Evan Gershkovich
1. It was great to get on that bus today and see not just Americans and Germans but Russian political prisoners.
Ivan Pavlov
Karolinska Institute
1. So it's a sign for international community and also for internal community, for internal audience also, because he [brought] Russians home.
2. Putin shows his real face when he just divided Russian citizes [into] two groups. One group is desirable and another group, like human rights activists, human rights activists, ... anti-war activists, [is] undesirable for the regime.
Justin Trudeau
Liberal Party
1. The release of Paul Whelan, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Evan Gershkovich, and thirteen more political prisoners is an immense relief.
Michael Roth
Social Democratic Party
1. Sometimes, for humanitarian reasons, you have to do a deal with the devil.
Olaf Scholz
Social Democratic Party of Germany
1. That is why it was important to us that we have an obligation to protect German nationals as well as solidarity with the United States.
Farah Dakhlallah
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
1. We welcome the release today of several political prisoners from Russia. The deal that secured their freedom was negotiated by several NATO allies working together.
Jonas Gahr Store
Labour Party
1. The exchange has been made possible through extensive international cooperation.
Dmitry Peskov
Kremlin
1. I believe that all our enemies should stay there [abroad], and all those who are not our enemies should return. That's my point of view.