Quotes
We welcome the release today of several political prisoners from Russia. The deal that secured their freedom was negotiated by several NATO allies working together,
spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said The exchange has been made possible through extensive international cooperation,
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in a statement Let the traitors now feverishly pick up new names and actively disguise themselves under witness protection programmes,
former President Dmitry Medvedev said Our obligation to protect German nationals and our solidarity with the USA were important motivations,
the government said in a statement Mr Kara-Murza is a dedicated opponent of Putin’s regime,
Lammy said in a statement Increasingly, states — but also non-state actors — are wrongfully detaining people, often as political pawns,
The U.S. government must do more to hold accountable countries or individuals responsible for kidnapping or wrongfully detaining U.S. nationals,
Evan Gershkovich is finally free. And Trump had nothing to do with it."
Josh Eakle, the president of Project Liberal, tweeted Now their brutal ordeal is over, and they're free."
Addressing the swap on Thursday, Biden said from the White House Trump attempted to use Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist recently freed after being falsely imprisoned in Russia, as leverage for his re-election campaign. However, President Biden has denied him that opportunity."
News blog ... The Intellectualist said We have to ask ourselves why are they coming home. And I think it's because bad guys all over the world recognize Donald Trump's about to be back in office and so they're cleaning house,
Vance told CNN on Thursday Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and we will be paying nothing
the former president said For anyone who questions whether allies matter—they do. Today is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in this world, friends you can trust, work with and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this. Our alliances make our people safer."
Flanked by family members of the released prisoners, he continued While Trump dangled Evan Gershkovich's freedom as a carrot - but *only* if he got elected - Biden actually got it done,
I guess Trump can't use this as fake leverage for votes now. Too bad."
Scott Dworkin, a co-founder of the Democratic Coalition, wrote The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview?"
Griner could go, and so too could detained former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was convicted of spying, a charge he and the U.S. deny, as part of a deal for Russian hitman Vadim Krasikov
They approached Washington repeatedly with an offer, a U.S. official said You know our country well. You know are system well. We are both adults. You know that for all our efforts to learn information, we do not use journalists."
In early July, the Russians had agreed in principle (to the swap) and then in late July they accepted it,
A lot of people at the time were wondering why she was meeting with (Golob),
a White House official said