U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan have returned to the United States on Thursday, hours after being freed from Russian detention in the biggest prisoner exchange between the two countries since the Cold War.
U.S. President Joe Biden hailed the deal as a feat of diplomacy and friendship, praising with Russia, Germany and three other countries for their bold and brave decisions in negotiating the trade.
The deal, which was worked on in secrecy for more than a year, involved 24 prisoners – 16 moving from Russia to the West and eight sent back to Russia from the West, including Vadim Krasikov, convicted of murdering an exiled dissident in Berlin.
Analyst say the success of this deal gives the Biden-Harris administration a marquee diplomatic success with the presidential campaign, pitting Harris against Republican former President Donald Trump, barely three months away.
