US President Joe Biden said Thursday that three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were “unjustly imprisoned” in Russia are finally coming home.
He hailed the landmark deal that led to the release of Paul Whelan – a former US Mariner, Evan Gershkovich – a Wall Street Journal reporter, Alsu Kurmasheva – a Russian-American journalist and Vladimir Kara-Murza – prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a press release from the White House.
“The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia – including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.
“Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over,” the President affirmed.
“I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome – including Germany,
Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. “This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.
“And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family. “My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. “Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home,” Biden went on.
“Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. “And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong,” he added.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken
affirmed that Whelan, Gershkovich, and Kurmasheva are now on their way back to the United States from Russia. “Through the extraordinary efforts of countless people in the State Department and across our government, the United States was able to strike an agreement to secure their freedom, as well as that of Vladimir Kara-Murza and twelve others held prisoner inside Russia,” he said in a statement.
“We are grateful for the support we had from a number of our allies who made this deal possible, in particular Germany, Poland, Norway, and Slovenia. “We further appreciate the Turkish government providing a location for the safe return of these individuals to the United States and Germany,” the Secretary noted.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, we have secured the release of dozens of Americans who were held hostage or wrongfully detained,” he added.
Today’s massive swap was the result of years of complicated behind-the-scenes negotiations involving the US, Russia, Belarus and Germany, ultimately leading Ber
lin to agree to release Moscow’s key demand – convicted Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov.
A total of eight people including Krasikov were swapped back to Russia in exchange for the release of the 16 detainees in Russia, including the four Americans.
Source: Kuwait News Agency