Gershkovich, Whelan Freed From Russia in Prisoner Swap

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Facts

  • Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and several dissidents were freed from Russia on Thursday as part of an agreement between at least six countries involving at least 24 prisoners.[1]
  • The deal, which was facilitated by Turkey, included the US, Russia, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and Poland agreeing to release a total of eight prisoners, while Russia released 16.[1]
  • Whelan had been detained by Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges that both the Biden and Trump administrations denied. Gershkovich was similarly arrested in March 2023.[2]
  • Among those Russia received was Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the 2019 killing of a former Chechen rebel in a park in Germany; two alleged sleeper agents, who were jailed in Slovenia; and three men charged by US authorities for spy work.[3][4]
  • This deal was conceived through back-channel negotiations with Russia's war against Ukraine as a backdrop. Although the US and Russia have agreed to several prisoner swaps in recent years, this is the first that needed cooperation from other countries.[4]

Sources: [1]USA Today, [2]ABC News, [3]Reuters.com and [4]Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by MSNBC. All administrations value American citizens' lives and will do almost whatever it takes to get them released from being detained around the world. But the Biden administration has been particularly effective at getting these deals finalized thanks to the president's skills and the resources it has devoted to bringing Americans home.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. The release of US citizens is paramount, but the Biden administration should consider the dangerous message it has sent by trading criminals for innocent Americans. The Russian regime has made hostage-taking part of its mode of operation, and there are still many Americans wrongfully imprisoned. These deals may incentivize Moscow to detain even more US nationals.