USA / TURKEY/ ENGLAND – The United States, in a historic prisoner swap with Russia, set free 26 prisoners including two children at Ankara airport, Turkey, on August 1, 2024.
The US Department of State in a press statement, said:
“Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, and Alsu Kurmasheva are now on their way back to the United States from Russia. Through the extraordinary efforts of countless people in the State Department and across our government, the United States was able to strike an agreement to secure their freedom, as well as that of Vladimir Kara-Murza and twelve others held prisoner inside Russia.
We are grateful for the support we had from a number of our allies who made this deal possible, in particular Germany, Poland, Norway, and Slovenia. We further appreciate the Turkish government providing a location for the safe return of these individuals to the United States and Germany.
Through many difficult conversations over the past several years, I told the families of those wrongfully detained in Russia that we would not forget them. I know there are many times over those years where they have wondered if our work would ever bear fruit. But I also know that they never gave up hope, and neither did we.
“Under president Biden’s leadership, we have secured the release of dozens of Americans who were held hostage or wrongfully detained. My pledge to the families of those still separated from their families is the same that I made to those returning home today. We will not forget you, and we will not rest until you see your loved ones again.”
UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:
“I strongly welcome the news that Russia has released a number of prisoners today, and am particularly relieved that British nationals Vladimir Kara-Murza and Paul Whelan will soon be reunited with their families.
“ Kara-Murza is a dedicated opponent of Putin’s regime. He should never have been in prison in the first place: the Russian authorities imprisoned him in life-threatening conditions because he courageously told the truth about the war in Ukraine. I pay tribute to his family’s courage in the face of such hardship and hope to speak to him soon.
“Paul Whelan and his family have also experienced an unimaginable ordeal. I look forward to speaking to him as he returns home to his family in the United States after over five years in detention.”
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