Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has returned to the United States after more than a year in a Russian prison, following a significant prisoner exchange—the largest of its kind since the Cold War.
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Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia last year while on a reporting assignment, arrived late Thursday, August 1 2024 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
He was warmly welcomed by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris before embracing his mother, Ella Milman.
The release of Gershkovich was part of a complex swap arranged in Ankara, Turkey, involving 26 prisoners from seven countries.
The negotiation, which spanned several months, also involved Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, and reportedly Belarus.
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| Credit: AFP via Getty Images
President Biden commented on the importance of international alliances, stating, “Alliances make a difference. They stepped up. It mattered a lot.”
The deal saw Russia release 16 prisoners, including Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine convicted of espionage, and prominent Russian dissident Ilya Yashin.
In addition, Russia freed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Alsu Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a UK-Russian dual national and Washington Post columnist who was serving a 25-year sentence for alleged treason.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan described the exchange as “historic,” noting that such a large-scale swap had not occurred since the Cold War. Sullivan highlighted that this exchange involved an unprecedented number of countries.
The Kremlin also issued a decree pardoning all individuals released as part of the deal.
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