{"id":2318151,"date":"2024-08-02T11:10:56","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T15:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-and-harris-greet-freed-prisoners-from-russia-on-tarmac-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-02T11:13:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T15:13:39","slug":"biden-and-harris-greet-freed-prisoners-from-russia-on-tarmac-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-and-harris-greet-freed-prisoners-from-russia-on-tarmac-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden and Harris greet freed prisoners from Russia on tarmac &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-and-harris-greet-freed-prisoners-from-russia-on-tarmac-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2318151&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala \u2064Harris \u2062welcomed U.S.\u2062 citizens \u200cwho\u2064 were \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/san-francisco-public-schools-renaming-plan-rife-with-historical-errors\/\" title=\"San Francisco Public Schools Renaming Plan \u2018Rife With Historical Errors\u2019\">recently freed<\/a> from Russian custody at Joint Base Andrews \u2064late Thursday \u200bnight. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/family-of-american-imprisoned-in-uae-for-15-years-says-biden-abandoned-him-for-brittney-griner\/\" title=\"Family of American Imprisoned in UAE for 15 Years Says Biden Abandoned Him for Brittney Griner\">release involved<\/a> a \u2062total of 16 people, including notable\u200c figures such as Wall\u2064 Street Journal reporter\u2064 Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty journalist\u2063 Alsu Kurmasheva, and\u2064 former U.S.\u200d Marine Paul Whelan. Whelan, \u200dwho has been detained in Russia since 2018, was the first to disembark the plane and engaged in \u200ca heartfelt exchange with \u2062Biden,\u2063 receiving the president\u2019s \u200cAmerican flag pin as a symbol of support. Gershkovich,\u2063 who was held on dubious spying charges, was also warmly embraced by\u200c his family and \u200cgreeted \u200bby the leaders. The\u2062 successful negotiation for their\u200c release highlights ongoing U.S. efforts \u2062to secure the freedom\u2063 of its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-regularly-abuses-nyu-students-nyu-keeps-taking-chinese-money-anyway\/\" title=\"China Regularly Abuses NYU Students. NYU Keeps Taking Chinese Money Anyway.\">citizens abroad<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Biden and Harris greet freed prisoners from Russia on tarmac<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1720994\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Joe Biden<\/a> and Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Kamala Harris<\/a> greeted the U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-call-to-amend-section-230-for-social-media-transparency\/\" title=\"A Call To Amend Section 230 For Social Media Transparency\">citizens freed<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Joe Biden\">Russia<\/a> as they arrived back on American soil at Joint Base Andrews late Thursday night.<\/p>\n<p>The United States secured the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3107395\/west-russia-agree-largest-prisoner-swap-since-cold-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"release\">release<\/a> of 16 people from Russia on Thursday, including <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>&nbsp;reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.<\/p>\n<p>Whelan was the first to exit the plane, with the former Marine greeting Biden by asking how he was. During their interaction, Biden gave his American flag pin off his lapel to Whelan, who had been detained in Russia since 2018.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Joe Biden places his American flag pin on Paul Whelan at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, following Whelan&rsquo;s release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gershkovich also greeted Biden and Harris and received a warm embrace from his family. The <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> reporter was taken into Russian custody in 2023 and was sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison last month on spying charges, which the U.S. and his employer decried as a &ldquo;sham.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reporter Evan Gershkovich hugs his mother, Ella Milman, as President Joe Biden looks on at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Biden was asked how it felt to have the U.S. citizens, including Whelan and Gershkovich, freed, to which he replied that it felt &ldquo;wonderful&rdquo; and was &ldquo;a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illinois-criminal-justice-system-reform-law-criticized-by-police\/\" title=\"Illinois Criminal Justice System Reform Law Criticized By Police\">long time coming<\/a>.&rdquo; He also credited Germany and Slovenia specifically for the help securing their release.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The toughest call on this one was for other countries because I asked them to do things that were against their self-interest, especially Germany and Slovenia,&rdquo; Biden told reporters.<\/p>\n<p>Harris also labeled it an &ldquo;extraordinary day.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very thankful for our president and what he has done this entire career, but in particular, as it relates to these families and these individuals, what he has been able to do to bring the allies together on many issues, but in particular, this one, this is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy,&rdquo; Harris told reporters.<\/p>\n<p>The prisoner swap the U.S. agreed to on Thursday, which freed Whelan, Gershkovich, and others, was the largest such agreement with Russia since the Cold War.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1720994\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1720994\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed U.S. citizens who were released from Russia as they landed at Joint Base Andrews late Thursday night. On that day, the U.S. successfully negotiated the release of 16 individuals, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Whelan was the first to disembark from the plane and greeted Biden by inquiring about his well-being. During their exchange, Biden presented Whelan with his American flag pin from his lapel; Whelan had been imprisoned in Russia since 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Gershkovich also met with Biden and Harris before embracing his family upon arrival. The Wall Street Journal reporter had been detained in Russia in 2023 and was sentenced to 16 years last month on espionage charges that both the U.S. government and his employer condemned as a &#8220;sham.&#8221; When asked how it felt to have these citizens freed, Biden expressed that it felt &#8220;wonderful&#8221; and was &#8220;a long time coming,&#8221; acknowledging Germany and Slovenia for their assistance in securing their release.<\/p>\n<p>Biden noted that persuading other countries to help was challenging because it went against their self-interests, particularly for Germany and Slovenia. Vice President Harris described it as an \u201cextraordinary day,\u201d expressing gratitude for Biden&#8217;s efforts throughout his career\u2014especially regarding this situation\u2014and highlighting the importance of diplomacy in achieving such outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>The prisoner swap finalized on Thursday marked the largest agreement between the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2318152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/evan-gershkovich-hug-biden.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3620,37008,4021],"class_list":["post-2318151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-biden","tag-freed-prisoners","tag-harris"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/evan-gershkovich-hug-biden.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2318151"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318151\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2318152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2318151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2318151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2318151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}