A personal assurance Chancellor Olaf Scholz made to US President Joe Biden when visiting the White House was responsible for a historic prisoner swap that freed American reporter Evan Gershkovich and 15 others. However, until Thursday, there had been considerable doubt as to whether this plan would work.
On February 9th, during the visit, Biden asked Scholz to release Vadim Krasikov, a Russian murderer sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany under an intricate six-nation arrangement.
At first, the German leader appeared hesitant: their victim was a Chechen separatist who Krasikov had shot dead in broad daylight in Berlin’s Tiergarten park on Putin’s alleged personal orders. Ultimately though, according to Scholz, who calls Biden his close friend. Due to their cozy relationship defined by affection towards each other. It ended up with that warm relationship leading him into accepting it.
“This was two guys trying to solve a problem,” said US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan at Thursday’s unveiling of the deal. “And all of these conversations were like that and ultimately Chancellor could say ‘let us do this.’”
Scholz approved the exchange of prisoners assuming it would include Navalny who eventually died in Russian prison after seven days.
Navalny died on Feb 16 while Sullivan met with Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich; parents of Gershkovich. The journalist from Wall Street Journal had been detained by Russia over charges of espionage which he denies together with his Journal colleagues.
Additionally, if Navalny died then it could affect efforts by national security personnel aimed at getting Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich released from Russia detention cells where they are being held still said Mr. Aide but he reminded Evan Gershkovich’s folks about their bright future ahead.
Soon afterwards Putin stated during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that any agreement would have been on the precondition that Krasikov is released. “Through special services’ channels there are certain terms being discussed,” Putin said. “I think we can come to an agreement.”
By April, a proposal concerning Scholz had been prepared by Sullivan on behalf of Biden based on some one year work by the national security team of the White House as reported by top American official.
Simultaneously, German authorities denied rumors several times that Krasikov could be part of a bargain whereas Scholz would not give comments in respect to it each time he was asked.
Biden and Slovenian PM Robert Golob spoke in July 21 finalizing everything when they talked about freeing two Russian spies held captive in Slovenia’s prisons according to US official.
It was a long day for the octogenarian President aged 81; after about an hour later. Biden announced his withdrawal from running as presidential candidate again.
On Thursday evening, Scholz emerged from isolation during his summer vacation in order to welcome home German nationals released during this rotating exchange process.
“This decision was not arrived at lightly – letting out a killer sentenced to life barely after few years,” stated Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressing journalists at Cologne Airport. However, he added that he felt more strongly about the government’s duty to protect its citizens and stand with America.
On Thursday, Biden said he owed a great deal of gratitude to Scholz.
At the White House, the president said: “The demands they were making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do because of the person in question.”
