FACT!
President Biden and VP Harris successfully negotiated a prisoner swap with Russia, securing the release of Americans and Russian dissidents. The swap faced hurdles due to strained relations between the countries and the war in Ukraine, as well as Biden asking some of the countries to agree to conditions that were not in their self-interest, especially Germany and Slovenia.
- Largest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War
- Negotiations took place with 7 countries, all with different interests and stakes
- Considered one of the most complex hostage swaps in decades
- VP Harris took part in several of the negotiating conversations with leaders of the countries involved
- Prisoners released included Alexandra Skochilenko, (Russian woman who peacefully protested war in Ukraine and sentenced to 7 years in jail) and Vladimir Kara-Murza, (Russian human rights advocate & Pulitzer Prize winner sentenced to decades in prison)
Trump congratulated Putin on the swap, choosing to side with Russia over the US by criticizing the administration’s efforts, and falsely claimed he got back many hostages and never gave the opposing country anything.
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Sources: The Rachel Maddow Show, The Washington Post, ABC News, Freedom House
