President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to meet the Americans who were freed from Russian custody as they arrive back in the US tonight at 11.30pm ET at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The White House issued updated guidance, with Biden traveling from the White House and Harris boarding AF2 in Houston, Texas. Among those freed include the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. The swap involved 16 people from Russian and Belarusian jails in exchange for eight Russians, including opposition figures. Russian President Vladimir Putin met the returning Russian prisoners and assured them of all the support they will receive. The Wall Street Journal editor, Emma Tucker, described the event as a joyous day for friends, family, and colleagues. US basketball star Brittney Griner, who was released in 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia, expressed her happiness for the families of the freed Americans. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged the difficulty of releasing the Russian prisoner Vadim Krasikov as part of the exchange deal. The prisoner exchange took place at Ankara airport in Turkey, involving prisoners held in seven different countries. President Biden thanked Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey for their assistance in facilitating the exchange, which he called a “feat of diplomacy and friendship”. The exchange is considered a political win for Biden and a setback for former President Donald Trump.
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Biden and Harris set to greet released Americans returning to US following Russia prisoner exchange – live updates
