PREVIEW

Americans Return Home After Landmark US-Russia Prisoner Exchange. The US and Russia completed their largest prisoner exchange in post-Soviet history, involving 24 individuals after extensive negotiations and months of diplomatic efforts, Sky News reports. Americans Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan landed back in the US, greeted by President Biden and Vice President Harris at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The returnees shared heartfelt reunions on the tarmac, with Gershkovich hugging his mother, and Kurmasheva reuniting with her husband and daughters in emotional scenes. President Biden marked the occasion by giving Paul Whelan the flag pin from his lapel, underscoring the personal significance of the moment. Vice President Harris praised the successful negotiation, calling it "an extraordinary day," and emphasized Biden’s diplomatic efforts, subtly contrasting them with former President Trump. President Biden dismissed worries that the swap might encourage future detentions, stating, "I don't buy this idea that you let these people rot in jail because other people may be captured." The swap, negotiated in secret for over a year, involved multiple countries and significant diplomatic efforts to secure the prisoners' release. Alongside the Americans, 13 other Western detainees, including dual UK-Russian citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza, jailed for criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, were released and flown to Germany. Gershkovich was jailed for alleged espionage, Kurmasheva was accused of spreading false information about the Russian military, and Whelan was convicted of spying, all charges widely seen as politically motivated. In exchange, eight Russian prisoners, including Vadim Krasikov, convicted in Germany for murder on alleged orders from Moscow’s security services, were released from prisons in the US, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and Poland. President Biden emphasized the importance of international alliances, stating, "Today is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in this world," highlighting the value of global cooperation.
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT