US President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday that he had joined families of American citizens involved in a high-stakes prisoner swap with Russia for a phone call from the Oval Office. The call, facilitated through a secure connection, allowed the families to speak with three American citizens and one green card holder who had recently been freed from Russian custody. The individuals have been transported from Russia to Turkey and are expected to return to the United States soon.
In related developments, President Biden also remarked on the broader implications of the prisoner exchange, stating that he saw no necessity to engage directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin at this time. "I don't need to speak with Putin," Biden said, addressing questions from reporters about whether he would seek direct dialogue with his Russian counterpart following the significant East-West prisoner deal.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, former President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his approval of the release of Russians involved in the exchange. Medvedev, now deputy head of the Russian security council, took to Telegram to highlight the significance of bringing home those he described as having "worked for the Fatherland." He emphasized that, despite his personal feelings towards "traitors of Russia," the priority was to secure the return of individuals who had contributed to national interests. This exchange marks one of the largest such agreements between Moscow and the West since the Cold War era.
(Credits: dk-nro/sst © Agence France-Presse)