Historic multi-country prisoner swap results in release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan by Russia

Russia, the USA and various other nations engaged in an exceptional, 24-prisoner exchange on Thursday, marking the largest of its kind since the Cold War. President Joe Biden was directly involved in this exchange, as confirmed by the White House on Thursday.

This swap enables the two unjustly detained American citizens held by Moscow, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, to return to their homeland.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were scheduled to welcome the released Americans late Thursday night at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.

Following their arrival at JBA, the returning Americans and their families will be offered a flight to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, for post-isolation support at San Antonio Brooke Army Medical Center, according to a senior administration official.

Just before noon on Thursday, Gershkovich and Whelan were released and were on their way back to the U.S., stated Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The multipart agreement is the result of months of elaborate, meticulous negotiations, as stated by national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

“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 in a release.

“This is a very good afternoon,” Biden expressed shortly after during remarks at the White House, flanked by family members of those freed. “Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia.”

In response to a reporter’s inquiry about his message to them, Biden replied with a smile, “I said, ‘Welcome, almost home.’

He characterized the deal as a “feat of diplomacy and friendship.”

“This deal would not have been made possible without our allies. Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey, they all stepped up and they stood with us. They stood with us, and they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who were justifiably being held and provided logistical support to get the Americans home. So, for anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do. They matter,” he said.

Planes believed to be carrying the freed prisoners were seen on arrival at Turkey’s Ankara Airport, the AP reported.

The exchange also frees Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist, and Vladimir Kara-Muza, a legal permanent resident of the U.S.

“The president is gathering the families of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza at the White House to share with them the news that an exchange is underway to secure the release of their loved ones from Russia,” Sullivan told reporters on Thursday morning.

According to a senior administration official, Biden was monitoring the situation “in near real time” through updates from his national security team, and will stay plugged in throughout of the day.