Their brutal ordeal is over, and they're free, Biden said earlier in the day. The complex deal for their release, which came together after elaborate negotiations involving seven countries, was a diplomatic victory for Biden, who has long pledged to bring imprisoned Americans home.
In a statement, Gershkovich's family thanked Biden and other officials for helping to secure his release after 16 months in a Russian prison. At the air base, after talking with Biden and Harris, Gershkovich hugged a family member and lifted her into the air.
The linchpin of the deal for Russia was the release of the assassin Vadim Krasikov from a German prison. Russia passed a law in 2006 permitting extrajudicial killing abroad. The Kremlin viewed Krasikov's assassination of a Chechen separatist leader as legitimate.
The Americans freed included Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva (a Russian American editor), and Paul Whelan (a former Marine). In Russia, the deal was seen as a triumph for Putin, showcasing his loyalty to Russian agents arrested abroad.
#biden-administration #russian-american-relations #journalism #diplomatic-negotiation #prisoner-release
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