International community hails historic prisoner swap in Türkiye

U.S. President Joe Biden walking across the tarmac after greeting reporter Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., following their release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hugged journalist Evan Gershkovich on Thursday as he and two other Americans arrived back on US soil after being freed by Russia in a huge prisoner swap conducted in Türkiye's capital, Ankara

Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich, former U.S. marine Paul Whelan, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were met by cheers from family and friends as they disembarked a plane, before each embracing Biden and Harris.

"It feels wonderful, it was a long time coming," Biden told reporters at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, where he and Harris welcomed the freed prisoners at around 11:40 pm (0340 GMT).

They were among two dozen detainees released earlier Thursday in the biggest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War.

A fourth freed prisoner, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian Kremlin critic with U.S. residency, was also among those freed but was returning separately to the United States.

Turkish intelligence successfully coordinated the historic prisoner swap between the countries.

The swap involved 26 prisoners from the U.S., Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus. The operation saw 10 prisoners, including two children, being sent to Russia, 13 to Germany, and three to the U.S.

Biden expressed his gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the phone for Türkiye's efforts.

Biden also thanked allies on social media.

"I am grateful to our Allies...