Let’s keep up the good news in the realm of American politics. So, in a landmark exchange on Thursday, Russia, the United States, and several other nations conducted a major prisoner swap involving 24 detainees, the largest such exchange since the Cold War. This is a big deal. Why is it important to us? How does this impact the culture, well, any act of good communication between the United States and our adversaries directly affects everybody. We need diplomacy, not aggression. That avoids things like sanctions, proxy wars or even actual armed kinetic conflicts. Any of that happens directly affects the economy and our pockets. So there you go. Onto the deal …
President Joe Biden played a crucial role in these negotiations, according to the White House. Yes, some on the right can call him “Sleepy Joe” all they want, but he did that.
Get this, the deal facilitated the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who had been wrongfully detained in Russia. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that both men were en route to the U.S. shortly before noon. Love to hear it, already on their way home!
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Our National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan highlighted the arduous and complex nature of the negotiations, which spanned several months. “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 stated. Not to mention their family’s agony.
Back at the White House, where Biden still holds court, the POTUS expressed his joy, saying:
”This is a very good afternoon,” and mentioned he spoke to the freed Americans from the Oval Office. He commended the diplomatic efforts and international cooperation that made the deal possible, noting contributions from Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey.
Check this out, the planes carrying the released prisoners were spotted at Turkey’s Ankara Airport. The exchange also included Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and U.S. legal resident Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Biden had his eyes all over this and closely monitored the situation, receiving closely timed updates from his national security team. Sullivan acknowledged the unique challenges of securing the Americans’ release amid the strained U.S.-Russia relationship and the ongoing war in Ukraine. A significant obstacle was Russia’s insistence on including Vadim Krasikov, a Russian operative imprisoned in Germany.
ICYMI, Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges, which he and U.S. officials deny, labeling his conviction as a politically motivated attack on journalism. Whelan, who holds multiple citizenships, was detained in December 2018 and also accused of espionage. Both administrations denied these allegations, with Whelan sentenced to 16 years in 2020.
From our side the U.S. handed over Roman Seleznev, Vladislav Klyushin, and Vadim Konoshchenock as part of the exchange.
The Wall Street Journal expressed relief and gratitude for Gershkovich’s release, thanking the U.S. government, international allies, and the global media community for their support.
And there you have it. A big win for everybody.