US Journalist Evan Gershkovich, ex-Marine released by Russia. This country facilitated largest prisoner-swap deal since Cold War
Moscow released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in a multinational deal, according to officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place. The Journal confirmed that Gershkovich had been freed.
It's the latest exchange between Washington and Moscow in the past two years, following a December 2022 trade that brought WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the US in exchange for notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout.
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Russia meanwhile secured the freedom of its own nationals convicted of serious crimes in the West.
President Joe Biden praised the negotiations that brought four Americans home from Russian detention Thursday as a “feat of diplomacy.” Biden thanked allies including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey for their assistance.
Turkey’s intelligence chief facilitated talks between the US and Russia, per Turkish official. A Turkish security official said Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, personally facilitated talks between his US and Russian counterparts for the prisoner swap, as per an AP report.
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The talks took place in Istanbul and Ankara, the official said.
According to the official, Washington and Moscow reached out to Turkey requesting its assistance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then instructed Kalin to “do
