President Biden and Vice President Harris welcomed the Americans home – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

Former soldier and businessman Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for five years, was the first to descend the flight stairs at Joint Base Andrews just before midnight local time. He was welcomed with a big smile, a warm handshake and a good hug by President Joe Biden. Then followed the journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, to the cheers of waiting families out on the runway. Freed Wall Street journalist Evan Gershkovich is welcomed home by Vice President Kamala Harris. Photo: Kevin Mohatt / Reuters – I’m home, famous Wall Street journalist Evan Gershkovich stated when he met waiting colleagues – after first giving his mother a big hug. – We have been waiting for the release of Evan for 491 days. It is difficult to describe what this day feels like, says Gershkovich’s family in a statement that the Wall Street Journal reproduces. Former soldier Paul Whelan was the first to be welcomed home by President Joe Biden. Photo: ANDREW HARNIK / AFP Came via Turkey The plane with the three freed Americans came from Turkey, where they had been flown to from Russia. A total of 24 prisoners from 7 different countries were released in the extensive prisoner exchange, of which 16 of them went to the USA and Germany from Russia and Belarus. 8 Russian citizens were released from various Western countries, including Norway, and were sent back to Russia. 2 children must also be covered by the agreement. President Joe Biden calls the exchange “a diplomatic feat”. – Allies have taken brave decisions as part of this agreement. Today is proof of why one needs friends in this world. Alliances make us safer, Biden said when he announced the prisoner exchange agreement. The president said yesterday that he, together with his closest security policy advisers, had started working on the prisoner release even before he was formally inaugurated as US president in January 2021. Joe Biden is one of the US’s most experienced foreign politicians and has a large international network of contacts, after eight years as vice-president and as former chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Senate. Published 02.08.2024, at 05.54 Updated 02.08.2024, at 06.54



ttn-69