The decision to sign the (pardon) decrees was made with the aim of returning Russian citizens detained and imprisoned in foreign countries,
They were detained and sentenced on spurious charges intended to punish them for their journalism and stifle independent reporting. Their release is welcome — but it does not change the fact that Russia continues to suppress a free press,
It was so overwhelming. It was such a mix of emotions — and the setting was very special to us, because we got to speak from the Oval Office standing next to the president with all the other families,
I think it’s an open question that that precept is actually true, that negotiating a deal like this just encourages more hostage-taking. The truth is we haven’t seen data that actually confirms that that’s the case,
Absolutely don’t go to Russia right now
Evan and Alsu have been apart from their families for far too long,
I mean, even when you’re not negotiating deals, bad actors like Russia, bad actors like Iran are still taking hostages,
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,
But I remain concerned that continuing to trade innocent Americans for actual Russian criminals held in the U.S. and elsewhere sends a dangerous message to Putin that only encourages further hostage taking by his regime,
As alleged, the defendant was a critical participant in a scheme to provide sensitive, American-made electronics and ammunition in furtherance of Russia's war efforts and weapons development, violating U.S. export controls, economic sanctions and other criminal statues,
The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy - and friendship,
I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the chancellor,
I think this is the right decision. And if you had any doubts, then you lose them after speaking with those who are now free.”
In fact, I just got a letter from him from prison last week where he told me that he’s learning Spanish,
He’s definitely not going to stop,
She moved the ball forward significantly in that meeting,
Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day,
And the reason he’s learning Spanish is he wants to go down to Latin America and get the Latin American countries to pass Magnitsky Acts so they can freeze the assets of the Putin regime and other Russian criminals,
It's a question that we grapple with every time that we look at the hard decisions involved in one of these exchanges."
I mean look, FSB [Federal Security Service] connection, paid assassin, ordered by the Russian Government to conduct the assassinations that he did… this is a bad dude, and a member of the Russian intelligence services. They obviously considered him an asset and wanted him back, and it was no small thing for the German government to let him go,