Read Biden's statement on the release of Evan Gershkovich and other Americans imprisoned in Russia
- Joe Biden helped orchestrate a historic prisoner swap with Russia.
- It's the largest such exchange since the Cold War.
The United States has agreed to a historic prisoner swap — the largest since the Cold War — with Russia and several other countries, the White House announced on Thursday.
President Joe Biden had a direct hand in the negotiations that lead to the release of 16 prisoners in Russia, including five Germans, seven Russian citizens held in their own country, and 4 Americans, the White House said in a press release.
The Americans include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was first detained in 2023 and sentenced to 16 years in prison in July on charges of espionage. Another notable prisoner included is former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018, and was also serving out a 16-year sentence on espionage charges.
The other prisoners who will be allowed to return to the US are Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Muza, who is a legal permanent resident of the US.
Read Biden's full statement on the release below.