After spending 16 months in a Russian prison, Evan Gershkovich was freed on Thursday in the most significant prisoner exchange since the Cold War, facilitated by the Biden administration.
Nearly two weeks ago, Biden publicly announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Just prior to making that decision, he contacted his Slovenian counterpart to finalize arrangements for the landmark prisoner swap.
The swap involved Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, as well as legal permanent resident Vladimir Kara-Murza. In return, Vladimir Putin demanded the release of his hitman, Vadim Krasikov, back to Russia.
Krasikov, using the alias Vadim Sokolov, was convicted in Germany for the 2019 assassination of a former Chechen commander near the German parliament. He was held in German custody.
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Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was released from a Russian prison on Thursday as part of a groundbreaking prisoner exchange. (WSJ)
President Biden needed to persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to approve Krasikov’s release. The Turkish government facilitated the exchange of prisoners.
“I don’t think anyone on the U.S. side has a complete context of why Krasikov was prioritized by the Russian government,” a senior administration official told Fox News.
“This is a dangerous individual, connected to the FSB, and he was commissioned by the Russian government for various assassination activities… clearly seen as an asset by the Russians. For the German government, letting him go was not a trivial decision,” the official stated.
“There were many difficult decisions in this exchange, with Krasikov being among the toughest,” added another official.
BIDEN CALLS RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP DEAL THAT FREED WSJ’S GERSHKOVICH, WHELAN A ‘FEAT OF DIPLOMACY’
U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the release of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who were detained in Russia, during a brief event at the White House attended by some of their relatives. (REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
Biden stated at the White House on Thursday, “This agreement was only made possible due to the support of our allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey, who all took bold and courageous steps to assist us.” He added, “These nations released prisoners justifiably held in their lands and provided crucial logistical support in bringing the Americans home. Anyone questioning the significance of allies should reconsider; they are essential.”
Sullivan confirmed during a press briefing on Thursday that no financial transaction or imposition of sanctions was involved in the swap.
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Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan smile aboard an airplane following their release from a Russian prison on Thursday, August 1, 2024, in a historic prisoner exchange. (U.S. Government)
In response to concerns about whether this significant prisoner swap might encourage hostile nations to detain more Americans, Sullivan stated, “We ponder this issue every time we consider the hard choices that come with such exchanges.”
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“It’s a tough decision to send back a convicted criminal to secure the release of an innocent American. Nonetheless, sometimes the alternative is to leave someone to live in a hostile foreign prison under the control of an aggressive power. We believe that the benefits of reuniting Americans and affirming our government’s commitment to protecting innocent Americans far outweigh the risks, and that’s how we approached this situation,” Sullivan elaborated.
