1 August 2024
Statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding the prisoner exchange operation in Ankara
Ankara, 1 August 2024
The most extensive prisoner exchange operation of recent times took place in Ankara today (1 August), involving a total of 26 people from prisons in seven different countries (USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus).
A total of seven aircraft, two from the USA, and one each from Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Russia, transported prisoners to Türkiye as part of the exchange operation. Ten prisoners, including two children, were later transferred to Russia, 13 to Germany, and three to the USA.
From the beginning of the negotiation process until the last moment of the exchange, all security measures, logistical planning and requirements of the exchange activities were carried out by Turkish National Intelligence Agency.
Türkiye will continue to make every contribution to ensure international peace and stability.
Source: Foreign Ministry of Türkiye
Statement by President Joe Biden on securing the release of Americans detained in Russia
Washington, 1 August 2024
Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, 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.
I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome— including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.
And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family. My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.
Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.
Source – U.S. White House
Press rmarks by U.S. President Biden on freeing Americans detained in Russia
Washington, 1 August 2024
12:18 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: (Addressing the families.) Your markers here.
Hello, everyone.
We got everybody?
Well, good afternoon. And this is a very good afternoon — a very good afternoon.
Today, we’re bringing home Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir — three American citizens and one American green-card holder.
All four have been imprisoned unjustly in Russia: Paul for nearly six years, Vladimir since 2022, Evan since March of 2023, and Alsu since October of 2023.
Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in show trials, and sentenced them to long prison terms with absolutely no legitimate reason whatsoever. None.
Paul, a former Marine, who was in Russia for a wedding.
Evan, a journalist, with the Russian — in Russia — was a — was in Russia assigned by the Wall Street Journal.
Alsu, also a journalist, was in Russia to see family.
All three falsely accused of being spies.
And Vladimir, who is a Russian citizen by birth and holds an American green card, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and was a pallbearer at my friend John McCain’s funeral with me. He spoke out against Putin’s regime, and for that he was convicted of treason.
And now their brutal ordeal is over, and they’re free.
Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office.
They’re out of Russia.
Earlier today, they were flown to Turkey. And soon, they’ll be wheels up on their way home to see their families.
This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. And it’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who’ve been praying for this day for a long time.
The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship — friendship. Multiple countries helped get this done. They joined a difficult, complex negotiations at my request. And I personally thank them all again. And I’ve thanked them personally, and I’ll thank them again.
All told, Russia has released 16 prisoners. Eight Russians who were being held in the West will be sent home as well. Those 16 prisoners from Russia have — that Russia has released include 4 Americans, 5 Germans, 7 Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.
One of those Russians runs the human rights organization Memorial, which won a Nobel Prize in 2022. Putin threw him in prison for voicing opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Four others worked with Aleksey Navalny, the political opposition leader who died in Russian prison this year.
Now they can live safely abroad and continue their work of advocating for democracy if they so choose.
This deal would not have been made possible without our allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. They all stepped up, and they stood with us. They stood with us, and they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who were justifiably being held, and provided logistical support to get the Americans home.
So, for anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do. They matter.
And 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, and we began to see that again today.
Let me say this. It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world. It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners.
They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well. That’s who we are in the United States.
We stand for freedom, for liberty, for justice — not only for our own people but for others as well. And that’s why all Americans can take pride in what we’ve achieved today.
I want to thank everyone in my administration who helped make this happen. Our work did not start just on day one. It started before day one.
During the transition, I instructed our national security team to dig into all the cases of hostages being wrongfully detained, which were inherently — well, we inherited them from the pri- — the prior administration. I wanted to make sure we’d hit the ground running, and we did.
As of today, my administration has brought home over 70 Americans who were wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad, many since before I took office.
Additionally, I issued an executive order in 2022 authorizing penalties like sanctions and travel bans on those who hold Americans against their will. And my State Department has introduced new warnings for Americans about the risk of being wrongfully detained by a foreign government.
Deals like this one come with tough calls, and there are never any guarantees. But there’s nothing that matters more to me than protecting Americans at home and abroad. And so, we’ll continue to work for the release of all wrongfully detained Americans around the world.
Let me end where I began — with Paul, Evan, and Alsu, Vladimir, and their families.
They never gave up hope. We can’t imagine what they’ve been through — all of you. Matter of fact, this lady right here, I think, was living in the Oval Office with us for a while.
But all kidding aside, I can’t imagine their joy right now. They’re home.
Tomorrow is a big day — the 13th birthday of Miriam. Miriam, where are you? Come here.
You all know we have a tradition in the Biden family. We sing “Happy Birthday” on any birthday. You ready? All of you.
(Sings “Happy Birthday.”)
Remember, no serious guys until you’re 30. (Laughter.) God love you.
She’s Alsu’s daughter. Now she gets to celebrate with her mom.
That’s what this is all about: Families able to be together again, like they should have been all along.
So, I want to thank you again, to everyone who did their part. In just a few hours, we’ll welcome home our fellow Americans.
We’re looking forward to that. God willing, we’re going to be out at Andrews and get that done.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you. And this is a good day.
Q What did you say to them on the phone, sir? What did you say when they answered the phone on the other side?
THE PRESIDENT: I said, “Welcome almost home.”
(Cross-talk.)
Q Mr. President, how do you keep other — how do you keep countries — these so-called “abductor states” — from simply taking more Americans in order to get more of their prisoners home? How do you end these perverse incentives, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: By r- — advising people not to go certain places, telling them what’s at s- — at risk and what’s at stake.
Q Mr. President, was there a turning point in these negotiations? And can you speak to the complexity of working with six countries to — to secure these releases?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, I’m not going to take the time now, but I’ll do this later in the week.
I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the — the chancellor. The demands they were making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do because of the person in question.
But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Turkey stepped up. And it — it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter.
Q Could this improve relations with Russia, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me?
Q Could this improve relations with Russia? Is there any avenue for that after this prisoner exchange deal?
THE PRESIDENT: As my sister might say, “Your lips to God’s ears, man.” I —
(Cross-talk.)
Q Mr. President, did you speak to —
Q Did you ever speak directly with Vladimir Putin about this? Or would you be willing to speak with Putin, now, directly?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t need to speak with Putin.
(Cross-talk.)
THE PRESIDENT: Anyway —
(Cross-talk.)
Q (Inaudible.) What — how did you weigh that decision of letting somebody out who, sounds like, got away with murder now?
THE PRESIDENT: I got home innocent people. Thank you.
(Cross-talk.)
All right. Thanks, everybody.
(Cross-talk.)
Q As a father, how do you feel about this?
Q Are you speaking with Erdoğan or any of the leaders about this?
THE PRESIDENT: Say that again?
Q Are you speaking with President Erdoğan or other leaders about this?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I’ve spoken with all the leaders about this.
Q What did you say to —
THE PRESIDENT: And, by the way, as a father — look, you heard me say this before, and I mean it. My dad had a simple proposition: Family is the beginning, the middle, and the end. Blood of my blood and bone of my bone.
I could think of nothing more consequential. I mean this sincerely. And having lost family, not — in a different way and not knowing what’s happening their circumstance when they’re accidental, would it help — it — it matters. It matters. (Inaudible.)
Q Mr. President, what did Germany ask for in response for their cooperation?
THE PRESIDENT: Nothing.
Q President Biden —
Q What did Chancellor Scholz say to you?
Q President Trump has said repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange. What do you say to that? What do you say to President Trump — now former President Trump?
THE PRESIDENT: Why didn’t he do it when he was president?
12:29 P.M. EDT
Source – U.S. White House
U.S. White House background press call on today’s multilateral prisoner exchange
Washington, 1 August 2024
Via Teleconference
8:05 A.M. EDT
WATERS: Morning, everybody. I’m just going to give folks another minute to join.
All right, let’s get started.
I just want to take a quick minute at the top here to discuss the ground rules. This call and its content are going to be held under a strict embargo until we notify the participants of the call that the individuals that we’re going to discuss are in U.S. custody, are safe, and on the way back to the United States.
I anticipate, for planning purposes, that that will come no earlier than 11:00 a.m. this morning. We’re still hours away from something taking place here.
One other note on the ground rules. I know that the invitation that went out said that this call is on background. The topper of this call, which will be delivered by National Security Advisor Sullivan, is quotable, it is on the record. And then the contents of the Q&A are going to be on background.
For awareness but not for reporting, the senior administration official who will do the Q&A is [senior administration official].
And with that, I will waste no time and I will hand it over to Jake.
SULLIVAN: Good morning, everyone. This morning, the President is gathering the families of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza at the White House to share with them the news that an exchange is underway to secure the release of their loved ones from Russia.
As Kate just said, we expect that exchange will take place in the next few hours. And if successful — and I underscore “if” because nothing is done until it’s done — Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir will at long last be reunited with their loved ones and be home safe.
All told, if successful, the exchange will result in the release of 16 individuals currently detained in Russia in exchange for 8 individuals held in the United States, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and Poland.
Paul, Evan, and Alsu are American citizens. Vladimir is a green card holder, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, as many of you know.
Five wrongfully detained German citizens and seven other Russian citizens, all political prisoners in their own country, will also be released and will leave Russia.
Today’s exchange will be historic. Not since the Cold War has there been a similar number of individuals exchanged in this way. And there has never, so far as we know, been an exchange involving so many countries, so many close U.S. partners and allies working together. It’s the culmination of many rounds of complex, painstaking negotiations over many, many months.
There are a few critical moments that led to today that I’d like to walk you all through.
To take a step back: Throughout this administration, President Biden has prioritized the safe return of all Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad. Since 2021, the President has brought home more than 70 such Americans from countries all around the world, including Afghanistan, Burma, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, West Africa, and from other parts of the world in cases that we have quite deliberately kept discreet for particular reasons.
In the context of the war against Ukraine and the overall degradation of our relations with Russia, securing the release of Americans detained in Russia has been uniquely challenging. We’ve been working to secure Paul Whelan’s release since we came into office. He was detained before we came into office. These efforts were obviously made more complicated and new challenges were presented to us with the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in March of 2023 and Alsu Kurmasheva in June of 2023.
It became clear that the Russians would not agree to the release of these individuals without an exchange that included Vadim Krasikov, a Russian criminal who was in German custody, not someone we could offer ourselves. That required extensive diplomatic engagement with our German counterparts, starting at the top with the President himself, who worked this issue directly with Chancellor Scholz. We are deeply grateful to Germany for their partnership.
Other nations were also critical to securing this deal. Norway, Slovenia, and Poland all had custody of additional Russians included in this exchange. President Biden and his team, including a lot of dedicated people at the NSC, the CIA, the State Department, engaged with all of these countries to get to the result we achieved today. We are deeply grateful for the partnership of Norway, Slovenia, and Poland. We also are deeply grateful to Turkey for providing the critical logistic support that has made this deal possible.
Ultimately, these allies, these partners, and the continued engagement that we had with them, and then the direct engagement we had with Russian officials, allowed us to piece together a package of 8 individuals of interest to Russia for the 16 individuals, including German nationals, Russian political prisoners, and U.S. citizens we hope and expect to see coming out of Russia today.
Over the course of the administration, there have also been countless engagements between U.S. government officials and these detained Americans directly, and their families, to check in on their wellbeing, to keep them updated on the status of their cases. And that started at the very top with the President, but also includes the efforts of many throughout the White House and at the State Department.
We’re working hard to make today a very good day and one we can build on for all the others who are held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, or any American who finds themselves in this kind of distress anywhere. We have no higher priority.
And I will leave it at that and turn it over, as Kate said, to [senior administration official] to answer your questions. And in the meantime, I will be keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks, everybody.
WATERS: Thanks. And with that, we’ll open it up to questions. Our first question is going to go to Jenny Hansler with CNN.
Q Thanks so much for doing the call, guys. I have a number of questions. What was the impact of Navalny’s death on these negotiations? How much did things slow down after that?
And can you describe a little bit what the linchpin was for Germany to finally agree to release Krasikov?
And then, if possible, can you just tell us the names of the people that Russia is getting back and getting released beyond the Americans? Thank you.
WATERS: Jenny, on the full list of names, I’ll disseminate that to everybody who’s joining this call on background just so that I don’t have to make [senior administration official] struggle through pronouncing a long list of names and save everybody a little time. So we’ll send the full list of names around, of the 24.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Jenny, in terms of Navalny’s death, as you know, just like you all, we learned about that when it happened, in mid-February of this year.
Later, the same day we learned, the 16th of February, Jake held a previously scheduled meeting he already had with Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich in his office. Jake has made it a priority, since even before the administration took office, to focus the national security team on the cases of all Americans that are being wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world and to put forward a strategy to get them home. And then part of that was constantly meetings with the families. And on this day — on that day, he actually did have, again, a previously scheduled meeting with two of the family members in his office there.
At the time, on that day — honestly, to be frank with you — the team felt like the wind had been taken out of our sails in terms of efforts to get Paul and Evan back home. And Jake, however, felt differently. And he stressed to both Ella and Mikhail that he still saw a path forward. He thought it was going to be a little bit more of a rocky path and it might take us a little bit longer than we thought, but he gathered the team together and he told them to not let Navalny’s death totally torpedo our opportunities to get these folks out. And he instructed them to come up with some additional options to make it politically viable, particularly politically viable to the Germans.
And then, if I could just fast-forward, this kind of gets — it actually is a great segue to your second question. A couple of months later — so now we’re talking April 24 — Jake drafted a letter that the President sent to Chancellor Scholz, basically with the outlines of a proposal that reflected over a year of Jake’s work and the team’s work. And Jake really led those efforts with the U.S. and with our counterparts to start to flesh out the actual details.
But it all culminated, really, in a call by President Biden to Chancellor Scholz and then a follow-on visit by Chancellor Scholz in February, where, basically, Chancellor Scholz responded to the President, saying, “For you, I will do this.” The President then turned to Jake and said, “Get it done.”
So there was concern about Navalny’s death slowing things down. Jake still felt optimistic, kept the families informed, instructed the team to move forward, and also worked closely with the President.
But it really — you know, internally, a lot of leadership by Jake and the team. Certainly externally, a lot of leadership by President Biden and building on the relationships that he has, particularly a really good relationship with Chancellor Scholz, again, to the point where Chancellor Scholz told the President, “For you, I will do this.” And then here we are.
WATERS: Next, we’ll go to Nick Schifrin with PBS.
Q Hey, [senior administration official]. Thanks so much. And shout-out to Kate. Thank you so much for taking us through this, not only this morning, but ahead of today.
I know this will be a little sensitive, but as best you can, can you lift the veil a little bit on the negotiations about the names, especially of the Russians? You know, Europe has picked up — the U.S. has quite a few Russian intelligence agents. The act of figuring out which ones of those Russia was most interested beyond Krasikov, can you talk at all about how that was done — whether the mechanics or working with allies or the intelligence negotiations that happened with Russia and figure out which ones of these people detained they actually wanted and how much they were worth?
And number two, you know, everyone, of course, can celebrate the number 16 for 8, but at the same time, you know, the 16 are guilty of journalism; they’re fighting for democracy. You know, the Russians are criminals. They’re intelligence agents. You know, Krasikov murdered two people in a children’s playground. Why do you think this is a good deal? Thanks.
Hello? Hello?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Was I muted?
WATERS: Oh, it looks like we were muted that entire time. Apologies.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That’s really a shame because —
Q Sorry.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: — what I had just delivered was so eloquent, and now I’m not going to be able to repeat it.
What I was trying to say was: I wouldn’t be at liberty to get into the specific discussions over each individual, Nick. First of all, we want to preserve the sanctity of diplomatic conversations. But it was a lot of intense diplomacy by Jake, by our State Department colleagues, and certainly by the intelligence community to work with our international allies and partners from, you know, four different countries, as well as with our Russian interlocutors, to get the right mix here.
And we believe that this is an appropriate deal that gets, again, 16 individuals out of Russian custody. And that’s important.
You mentioned Krasikov. He was certainly the biggest fish that the Russians wanted back. And we are tur- — nobody is turning a blind eye to his crimes and to his connection to Russian intelligence services.
But, look, in order to secure the release of innocent people overseas and innocent Americans, you have to make some tough decisions; you have to make some tough calls.
And this deal is no different than any other one that the President has presided over or led our administration through. This one required some tough decisions too.
But in the end, Paul and Evan and Alsu and Vladimir will come home and be back with their families. And that’s not insignificant. If any of these individuals that are returning to Russia decide to pick up their old ways and take up their old efforts, we’re going to be monitoring, we’re going to be vigilant. And if and when an opportunity presents itself, we’ll continue to, as we have in the past, work with our partners to hold them accountable for that.
REPOSA: Thank you. Our next question will go to Peter Baker. You should be able to unmute yourself.
Q Yeah, thank you. Thanks for doing it. Appreciate it. Can you talk about Marc Fogel, the American teacher who is in custody in Moscow? He’s not part of this deal, I take it. Is that right? And if so, is there a reason why?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That is correct, Peter. I would tell you that with each of these exchanges, it’s our goal to secure the release of as many Americans as we can.
At every step in this particular process, starting way back when we sought the release of Paul and Brittney together, as you might recall, we also — and we said at the time — we also sought the release of Mr. Fogel. Same was the case in this particular deal. We absolutely wanted Marc to be included, but it just wasn’t going to happen. You do the best you can and you get what you can. Just like when we got Brittney out, we tried very hard for both Paul and Marc, and we just couldn’t get the Russians there. In this case, we could get Paul; we couldn’t get Marc.
So what that tells us is we got to keep redoubling our efforts, and we are. Even as you and I are speaking today, Peter, I can assure you that there are ongoing conversations and dialogue about Marc and about trying to get him — trying to get him released.
The other thing I think is important to mention is that every time you do one of these deals, you learn, you gain insight, you get perspective on what matters to the Russian side, what doesn’t matter to the Russian side, and what they’re willing to negotiate, what they’re not willing to negotiate. And we have learned through this one as well. And we absolutely anticipate being able to learn — I’m sorry — to use the knowledge that we have gained from this particular deal to continue to work on Marc’s release.
We understand that today will be a tough day for the Fogel family. We just want to make sure that they understand we have not forgotten Marc, and we’re going to continue to work for his release.
REPOSA: Thank you.
Q Do you have any sense of why —
REPOSA: Go ahead.
Q Do you have any sense of why the Russians are so reluctant to him? And are there other Americans that we’re still looking to get out of Russia, in addition to him? Or is he the last one?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, I think in order to preserve the discussions and the negotiations that we’re having about Marc, I think I’d be better if I don’t get into laying out publicly what the issue is or issues are. We’re trying to close those loops, and I just don’t know that a public airing of it is necessarily going to help us get Marc out.
But you’re right — I mean, there’s a couple of other U.S. citizens who are being held abroad in other places as well. And all I would tell you is that we’re continuing to work on getting them released as well. There’s nothing more important to President Biden than making sure that we’re looking after the safety and security of Americans overseas and, when they are wrongfully detained or held hostage, getting them home.
And as I said, more than sev- — or as Jake said, more than 70 now we’ve been able to secure the release of. And, of course, today is a big day as well. We’re going to — we just have to keep at it, and we will.
REPOSA: Thank you. Our next question will go to Andrea Mitchell. Andrea, you should be able to unmute yourself
Okay, we will come back to you. We’ll go to Patsy right now.
Q Thank you, Sam. Hi, [senior administration official]. Thanks for doing this. I have two questions. The first one on the logistics. Can you speak about the flight path of the plane that will be carrying these Americans? We are hearing they’re flying through Ankara. Can you confirm that?
My second question: Can you provide more details on the process in releasing our colleague, Alsu Kurmasheva? She was (inaudible) by the public; she was not even designated unlawfully detained (inaudible). When did she become part of the negotiation for this package? And any other details you can add. Thanks.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: She became part of the package of negotiations very shortly after she’d been detained. I couldn’t give you the date on the calendar. I don’t have that level of specificity. But as you know, she was detained back in October of last year, the fall. And shortly after that, we started including her in our discussions and our negotiating posture. And we’re really glad that we’re going to be able to get her home today as well.
I am not going to confirm flight paths or schedules. I think you can understand that.
One thing I wanted to — I didn’t stress earlier to you all, and I want to do that now, it’s — and I understand the call is under embargo, but I sure do ask you all to understand that all these individuals we’re talking about, certainly these four Americans, are still in Russian custody as you and I speak right now. And so, we’re going to be scrupulous about what kind of detail we put out there.
And I think, right now, I’m going to demur on talking about the actual flight path or waystations or anything like that. I’d point you back to what Jake said in his topper, thanking Turkey for some logistical support. I think I just need to leave it at that.
Bottom line is: This exchange has not occurred yet. And only after it occurs and we have confidence that our people are wheels up and on the way home, back to their families, we’ll be able to talk in a little bit more detail about the actual physical process.
REPOSA: Thank you. Our next question will go to Trevor Hunnicutt. You should be able to unmute yourself.
Q Hey, thanks for doing this. Two questions. One
was just on the logistics of the Krasikov release from Germany to Russia, if there was any — how that release is being done, if that’s like a pardon or what the legal mechanism is there.
And then, two, just if there’s any analysis on what this means in terms of U.S.-Russia relations. Is this a sign that the two countries can do deals and can get things done?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Trevor, I think I’m going to refer you to the Germans to talk about whatever legal administrative process has been observed in terms of Krasikov, (inaudible) since he was being — he was arrested and held inside their system, their legal system. I think I’d refer you to them on that.
He was — again, as I said, he was the big fish that the Russians really wanted. And we’re extremely grateful for the chance to work with Scholz and the German government for being able to participate and to include him in this exchange.
And again, I want to point to the strength of President Biden’s relationships and leadership on the world stage in terms of pulling this together — I mean, not just Germany, but, you know, Norway, Slovenia, Poland.
One of the things that you all may not know is that the Sunday that the President announced he was no longer going to pursue reelection, the — and I’m not making this up — the hour before he released that statement — literally an hour before he released that statement, he was on the phone with his Slovenian counterpart, urging them to make the final arrangements and to get this deal over the finish line. That’s what happens today. This exchange is not by accident. It really is the result of a heck of a lot of leadership by President Biden and by the strength of relationships.
It’s also — and I know you didn’t ask this, but I don’t care; I’m going to go forward on this one other point: It shows the power of alliances and partnerships and why investing in alliances and partnerships really does matter and can pay what we would consider, no kidding, tangible and concrete dividends, like what we have today.
But anyway, that’s — that’s not what you asked. I would refer you to the German government for the administrative stuff on Krasikov.
On U.S.-Russia relations — not a bad segue then — I think what we have proven willing to do with Russia is hold them accountable for their aggression on the world stage, particularly in Ukraine, while at the same time compartmentalizing out working on securing the release of Americans that they are wrongfully detaining.
I would be cautious, and I would counsel anyone to be cautious, in surmising from this that it’s some sort of breakthrough in the relationship or that it portends some détente with Russia or an easing of the tensions in our relationships — our relationship. That’s not going to be the case given what Mr. Putin continues to do inside Ukraine and the threats that he continues to levy against our NATO Allies and our partners across Europe, the burgeoning defense relationship that he’s forming with the PRC and with North Korea, with Iran. All these things are of significant concern to us, and you will not see a policy change from President Biden or the administration when it comes to standing up to Putin’s aggression as a result of this.
REPOSA: Thank you. We will try to go back to Andrea, if you want to try unmuting yourself again.
Okay, we will move forward.
Our next question will go to the line of Eric Tucker.
Q Hi. Thank you so much for doing this. I really appreciate it. Just a quick logistical question for you, [senior administration official]. And I am mindful of the sensitivities here, but there are now a couple of media reports this morning, first Bloomberg and now CNN, that are reporting that a massive deal is underway. And so, it feels sort of increasingly untenable to be able to keep everything under wraps.
So, to the extent there’s a way to renegotiate some of the terms of the embargo to enable this piece of the story to move forward, we’d be very grateful. So I just wanted to ask that, first of all.
And then the second piece is to Krasikov, whether there was a way that you can describe why it is that the Russians were so determined to get this particular person back throughout the course of all these negotiations, what it was that you were able to glean about his significance to the Kremlin. Thank you.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Eric. I understand some of your colleagues decided to move forward, regrettably, and to break the embargo, which we find wholly unacceptable. We also find unacceptable — we would find unacceptable any effort by us to lift the embargo given the fact, as I said earlier, I think to Trevor’s question, that these folks are still in Russian custody. And we beseech you all to continue to abide by the agreement. And just because there’s some stories out there, it doesn’t make it right that they’re there, and it certainly doesn’t lift our obligation to do everything we can to get this exchange to actually happen.
I can’t stress enough: These folks are still in Russian custody. They have not been handed over to us. And while we don’t have any indication at this time that this exchange is not going to occur, the last thing that we would want is any reason for the Russians to renege. And I think you can understand why we’re taking that so seriously and why we can’t take anything for granted or at face value when it comes from the Russian side. So we’ve got to be careful here.
Again, I implore you all to please try to hold the line. I know it’s hard. I know you’re in a competitive business. But by golly, there’s a whole lot of lives on the line right now and families that are literally chewing their fingernails off, and we just — we want to make sure we get this done right.
On Krasikov, I really can’t get inside the Russian thinking, and I wouldn’t pretend to be able to do that for you, frankly. And it’s not just me; I don’t think anybody here on the U.S. side has a full, complete contextual picture of why Krasikov was treated with the priority that he was by the Russian side.
I mean, look, you know, FSB connection, paid assassin, ordered by the Russian government to conduct the assassinations that he did, the murders that he did in Germany. And this is a bad dude and a member of the Russian intelligence service. So, I mean, they obviously considered him a key asset and wanted him back. And it was no small thing for the German government to agree to let him go, which is, again, why we are so extraordinarily grateful to Chancellor Scholz and his leadership here.
When I talked earlier about tough calls, you know, you look at the whole exchange here, it’s a big one — and as Jake alluded to, probably the biggest one since the Cold War. Actually, it is the biggest one since the Cold War. Lots of tough calls throughout this whole exchange. And, certainly, Krasikov is one of the toughest calls that leaders had to make.
But I really — it would be difficult for me to say with great granularity why the Russians put the emphasis they did on him, but they did. And, again, thanks to some good leadership and some terrific negotiations, it worked out.
REPOSA: Thank you. Our next question will go to the line of Arden Farhi. You should be able to unmute yourself.
Q Hey, guys. Can you hear me?
REPOSA: Yep, we can.
Q Can you give us any insight into what the President is doing today related to this? How he’ll be monitoring it, how he’ll be recognizing it once it does happen?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah. He’s monitoring it in near real-time by updates from his national security team, and he will stay plugged into the process throughout the day.
As Jake mentioned in his opening statement, the President will be meeting the families today at the White House and having them in the Oval Office today, this morning. Obviously, he’ll keep close tabs on the flight trajectory once they get on board and are making their way back home. He will have an opportunity to speak on this today, after being with the families and after the exchanges occur.
You can expect to see a statement from the President, a paper statement, once we know everybody is wheels up and safe and sound. We’ll obviously document the meeting with the families. We hope to be able to have the families at that time at least connect with their loved ones by phone once they’re on the airplane. And then the President will speak to the nation shortly after that. So, stay tuned for that. Our White House comms folks can give you the details on that. But he will make remarks around midday today.
And then, I think there’ll be other opportunities that the President will take advantage of in the coming hours. But I think for right now, I need to preserve a little flexibility on that as these folks make their way home. But you will absolutely hear and see from the President by midday today on this.
Q And if I can ask one more. Jake mentioned Turkey; he thanked Turkey. Can you give us any more insight into their role here?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I really can’t. The farthest I can go today is to reiterate what Jake said about logistical support, important logistical support. But out of respect to our partners, I think that’s really as much detail as I can go into.
REPOSA: Thank you. Before we wrap, we’re going to try Andrea Mitchell one more time. There’s three of you on the call, so we’re going to let you all in and see if one of you can unmute.
Okay, seeing none. I will turn it over to Kate to close the call.
WATERS: Thank you all for joining us. We will have an update here, as soon as we have an update to share, vis-à-vis the safety and security of these Americans. Thanks.
8:40 A.M. EDT
Source – U.S. White House
Stellungnahme der Bundesregierung zur Freilassung von in Russland und Belarus unrechtmäßig inhaftierten deutschen, amerikanischen und russischen Staatsangehörigen
Berlin, 1. August 2024
Der Sprecher der Bundesregierung, Steffen Hebestreit, teilt mit:
In enger und vertrauensvoller Zusammenarbeit mit den Vereinigten Staaten und europäischen Partnern ist es heute gelungen, die Freilassung von 15 Personen zu erreichen, die unrechtmäßig in Russland in Haft saßen sowie eines deutschen Staatsangehörigen, der in Belarus zum Tode verurteilt worden war.
Die Freilassung war nur möglich, indem russische Staatsangehörige mit geheimdienstlichem Hintergrund, die in Europa in Haft saßen, abgeschoben und nach Russland überstellt wurden. Darunter befand sich unter anderen auch Vadim Krassikow, der in Deutschland zu einer lebenslangen Freiheitsstrafe verurteilt worden ist, nachdem er in Berlin einen georgischen Staatsbürger ermordet hatte.
Die Bundesregierung hat sich diese Entscheidung nicht leicht gemacht. Dem staatlichen Interesse an einer Vollstreckung der Freiheitsstrafe eines verurteilten Verbrechers standen die Freiheit, das körperliche Wohlergehen und – in einigen Fällen – letztlich auch das Leben unschuldig in Russland inhaftierter Personen und zu Unrecht politisch Inhaftierten gegenüber. Unsere Schutzverpflichtung gegenüber deutschen Staatsangehörigen sowie die Solidarität mit den USA waren wichtige Beweggründe.
Wir hoffen, dass alle heute Befreiten sich von physischen und psychischen Qualen im Kreise ihrer Familie und Freunde erholen werden. Unsere Gedanken gelten all denen, die heute noch in Russland dafür eingesperrt werden, dass sie ihre Meinung äußern und über Putins Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine die Wahrheit sagen. Ihr Mut muss allen Demokraten Beispiel sein!
Die Bundesregierung ruft die russische und belarussische Führung zur Freilassung aller anderen zu Unrecht politisch Inhaftierten auf.
Quelle: Bundesregierung
Pressestatement von Bundeskanzler Scholz zum Gefangenenaustausch am 1. August 2024 am Flughafen Köln/Bonn
Mitschrift Pressekonferenz
Donnerstag, 1. August 2024
BK Scholz: Einen schönen guten Abend!
Seit mehreren Monaten hat die Bundesregierung in engster Koordinierung mit den Vereinigten Staaten daran gearbeitet, eine Lösung für zu Unrecht in Russland inhaftierte politische Gefangene zu suchen.
Vor wenigen Minuten habe ich nun auch noch einmal mit Präsident Biden telefoniert, der sehr dankbar ist für die Kooperation unserer beiden Länder in dieser wichtigen Angelegenheit. Für die USA war besonders wichtig, den Journalisten des Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich sowie den Ex-Marine Paul Whelan befreit zu sehen.
In enger und vertrauensvoller Zusammenarbeit mit den USA und europäischen Partnern ist es nach monatelangen vertraulichen Gesprächen mit der russischen Seite nun gelungen, die Freilassung von 15 Personen zu erwirken, die unrechtmäßig in Russland als politische Gefangene in Haft saßen.
Zu ihnen zählen die beiden bereits genannten US-Staatsbürger sowie der prominente Oppositionspolitiker und britisch-russische Staatsangehörige Wladimir Kara-Mursa.
Hinzu kommen die öffentlich bekannten Fälle des Gründers von Memorial, Oleg Orlow, sowie weiterer Menschenrechts- und Antikriegsaktivisten, darunter Schlüsselfiguren des Netzwerks des im Februar dieses Jahres in russischer Haft umgekommenen Alexei Nawalny. Diese Personen sind über geraume Zeit, teilweise mehrere Jahre, als politische Gefangene in Russland gehalten worden.
Zu den Freigelassenen zählen auch mehrere in russischer Haft sitzende deutsche und deutsch-russische Staatsangehörige, die unter fadenscheinigen Gründen, etwa des Vorwurfs des Hochverrats, angeklagt und zu mehrjährigen Haftstrafen verurteilt wurden.
Es ist dabei auch gelungen, eine weitere, 16. Person freizubekommen. Es handelt sich um den in den Medien bekannten Fall des deutschen Staatsangehörigen Rico Krieger, der in Belarus Ende Juni zum Tode verurteilt worden war.
Die freigelassenen Personen sind jetzt auf dem Weg von Ankara nach Deutschland. Sie werden kurz vor elf Uhr hier am Flughafen Köln/Bonn erwartet. Ich freue mich, sie dann in Freiheit begrüßen zu können. Eine kleine Gruppe der Amerikaner ist auch in die USA direkt geflogen.
Die Freilassungen waren nur möglich, indem russische Staatsangehörige mit nachrichtendienstlichem Hintergrund, die in Europa in Haft saßen, abgeschoben und nach Russland überstellt wurden. Darunter befand sich unter anderen auch Wadim Krassikow, der Ende 2021 vom Kammergericht Berlin zu einer lebenslangen Freiheitsstrafe verurteilt worden ist, nachdem er im August 2019 in Berlin einen georgischen Staatsbürger tschetschenischer Abstammung in der Parkanlage „Kleiner Tiergarten“ ermordet hatte.
Diese schwierige Entscheidung wurde von den betroffenen Ressorts und der Koalition nach sorgfältiger Beratung und Abwägung gemeinsam getroffen. Die Umsetzung erfolgte durch ein vom Generalbundesanwalt verfügtes Absehen von der Vollstreckung der Freiheitsstrafe und anschließender Abschiebung.
Niemand hat sich diese Entscheidung leicht gemacht, einen zu einer lebenslangen Freiheitsstrafe verurteilten Mörder nach nur wenigen Jahren Haft abzuschieben. Das staatliche Interesse an der Vollstreckung der Freiheitsstrafe war in Abwägung zu bringen mit der Freiheit und Gefahr für Leib und ‑ in einigen Fällen ‑ auch Leben unschuldig in Russland inhaftierter Personen und zu Unrecht politisch Inhaftierter. Deshalb war für uns wichtig, dass wir eine Schutzverpflichtung gegenüber deutschen Staatsangehörigen sowie auch die Solidarität mit den USA haben.
Meine Damen und Herren, ich habe angesichts der Bedeutung dieser Angelegenheit auch frühzeitig den Oppositionsführer über das Vorhaben informiert und ihn auch über die heutige Aktivität rechtzeitig in Kenntnis gesetzt. Er hat mir ausdrücklich versichert, dass er mit den Entscheidungen der Bundesregierung einverstanden ist.
Jenseits der genannten Einzelfälle wird die Bundesregierung auch weiter für die Freilassung all derjenigen kämpfen, die zu Unrecht in russischen und belarussischen Gefängnissen sitzen, weil sie sich politisch engagiert haben. Das bleibt ein unverändert wichtiges Anliegen. Hier haben wir jetzt einer sehr großen Gruppe von Menschen die Möglichkeit geschaffen, wieder in Freiheit zu leben, und ihnen in einigen Fällen Gesundheit und Leben gerettet.
Schönen Dank!
Quelle – Bundesregierung
Zweites Pressestatement von Bundeskanzler Scholz zum Gefangenenaustausch am 2. August 2024 am Flughafen Köln/Bonn
BK Scholz: Zunächst einmal die gute Nachricht: Alle sind wohlbehalten hier angekommen. Die Einreiseformalitäten sind erledigt worden, und jetzt wird es auch darum gehen, alle in den nächsten Tagen gesundheitlich zu untersuchen und die Hilfe zur Verfügung zu stellen, die notwendig ist.
Ich habe mich sehr ausführlich mit den hier Eingereisten unterhalten können, die jetzt aus Gefangenschaft in Russland freigekommen sind. Das war sehr bewegend. Viele haben nicht damit gerechnet, dass das jetzt passiert, und sind immer noch sehr voll der Gefühle, die damit verbunden sind, nun ganz plötzlich doch in Freiheit sein zu können. Viele haben um ihre Gesundheit und auch um ihr Leben gefürchtet ‑ das muss sehr klar gesagt werden ‑, und deshalb ist es auch wichtig, dass wir ihnen diesen Schutz jetzt hier ermöglicht haben.
Das ist eine Operation, die nur gelungen klingen konnte durch intensive Kooperation mit vielen Ländern in Europa und ganz besonders den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika über eine ganz lange Zeit. In Europa hat aber zum Beispiel auch ein Land wie Slowenien einen Beitrag dazu geleistet, dass diese ganze Operation jetzt einmal fortgeführt werden konnte. Dass das so vertraulich, so präzise und so konstruktiv gelungen ist, das ist etwas, wofür ich all den beteiligten Regierungen, die da mitgewirkt und mitgeholfen haben, sehr dankbar bin.
Ich glaube, dass das eine richtige Entscheidung ist, und wenn man da irgendwelche Zweifel hatte, dann verliert man die nach dem Gespräch mit denjenigen, die jetzt in Freiheit sind. Wir sind eine Gesellschaft, die von ihrem Humanismus geprägt ist, von der Vorstellung der Freiheit der Einzelnen und auch von der Demokratie. Dass diejenigen, die um ihr Leben fürchten müssen, weil sie sich für Demokratie und Freiheit eingesetzt haben, dann auch auf den Schutz anderer rechnen können, das gehört zu unserem Selbstbild als demokratische, humanistische Gesellschaft dazu.
Wir haben auch Deutsche hierhergebracht, die sonst in Gefahr gewesen wären. Insofern ist das auch ein Beitrag, der in dieser Hinsicht sehr wichtig und sehr richtig gewesen ist.
Noch einmal: Für mich ist dies ein besonderer Moment ‑ ein Moment, der auch die Freundschaft zwischen den USA und Deutschland sicherlich noch einmal sehr intensiviert hat. Das Gespräch, das ich mit dem amerikanischen Präsidenten geführt habe, hat das sehr unterstrichen, und es war eben auch ein Zeichen der wechselseitigen Bereitschaft, etwas zu tun aus unserer gemeinsamen Tradition als Rechtsstaaten, als Demokratien und auch als freie Gesellschaft.
Ich wünsche denjenigen, die jetzt hierhergekommen sind, alles Gute, dass sie sich gesundheitlich erholen und dass sie eine Perspektive finden, und ich wünsche denjenigen, die heute noch in russischen Gefängnissen sind und um ihre Freiheit, ihr Leben und ihre Gesundheit bangen müssen, dass auch sie Wege finden, wieder in Freiheit zu geraten. Wir jedenfalls werden uns für die Demokratie und die Freiheit weiterhin einsetzen. Das sind wir uns als Land, als Nation schuldig.
Schönen Dank.
Quelle – Bundesregierung
Belarus/Russia: Statement by EU High Representative Josep Borrell on the release of number of political prisoners
Brussels, 1 August 2024
The European Union is relieved by the release and transfer to freedom outside Russia and Belarus of a number of political prisoners, including EU citizens, facilitated with the help of Türkiye.
The released activists, human rights defenders and journalists have been unjustly persecuted and imprisoned by Russian and Belarusian regimes for political reasons and held in intolerable conditions.
Political prisoners and all those still unjustly detained in Russian and Belarusian prisons must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Source – EEAS
Russian President signed executive orders on pardons
Moscow, 1 August 2024
Vladimir Putin signed executive orders pardoning Paul Nicholas Whelan, Kevin Lik, Evan Gershkovich, Demuri Voronin, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alsu Kurmasheva, Lilia Chanysheva, Vadim Ostanin, Ksenia Fadeyeva, Alexandra Skochilenko, Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov, and Oleg Orlov.
The decision to sign the executive orders was made with the aim of returning Russian citizens detained and imprisoned in foreign countries.
The Russian side would like to extend gratitude to President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for his goodwill gesture of pardoning German citizen Rico Krieger who has been sentenced to death.
Moscow would also like to thank the leaders of all countries that provided assistance in preparing the exchange.
Source: The Russian Kremlin