Former CIA Director John Brennan said Thursday’s prisoner swap that freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is a “remarkable demonstration” of “successful” diplomacy by the Biden administration.
“It’s an unprecedented deal,” Brennan said on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House” to anchor Ali Velshi. “And it is a remarkable demonstration of very effective and successful policy and diplomacy by the Biden-Harris administration.”
Gershkovich, alongside former US Marine Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara-Murza, five Germans and seven Russians, were freed in the exchange on Thursday.
“This is a continuation of the ongoing dialogue between the United States and Russia regarding the release of individuals,” Brennan said.
In a statement released Thursday, President Biden said, “We celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsou and Vladimir and rejoice with their families.”
“We remember all those who are still unjustly detained or held hostage around the world. And we reaffirm our commitment to your families: we see you,” Biden continuous. “We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.”
In a letter dated Thursday, Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said his newspaper is “grateful to President Biden and his administration for working with persistence and determination to bring Evan home rather than see him sent to a Russian labor camp for a crime he didn’t commit.”
“We are also grateful to the other governments who helped put an end to Evan’s nightmare, in particular the German government who played such a critical role,” Tucker continued in the letter.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
