The complex and very secretive prisoner exchange deal between Russia. And the West is coming to an end with the recent swap of a notorious Russian assassin for an American newspaper correspondent. This deal began in 2022. But negotiations have intensified in recent months as everyone got closer to reaching a final agreement.
Early Negotiations
There were signs that Moscow might be open to a prisoner swap by fall 2022. At that time, the US and Russia were involved in talks about freeing Brittney Griner. An American basketball player who had been arrested in Russia. Later that year, she was released in exchange for Viktor Bout. A notorious Russian arms dealer. It was during these discussions that Russia expressed its desire to free Vadim Krasikov. Who is serving life imprisonment in Germany for a Kremlin-ordered murder?
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan informed his German counterpart of Russia’s interest in Krasikov and suggested exchanging him for Alexei Navalny, a leading anti-Putin opposition leader imprisoned by Moscow. However, Germany was not ready to release Krasikov because of his serious crimes.
Shaping The Agreement
Initial talks among the US, Russia, and Germany helped shape what would become more extensive agreements between the parties involved. The United States wanted both Navalny and Paul Whelan — an ex-Marine jailed on espionage charges — while its complexity required further negotiations over time.
In March 2023, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest by Russian intelligence escalated urgency around negotiations regarding exchanges involving people like him or Whelan due to direct contact between Washington D.C., Moscow City Government offices which eventually involved covert channels used during intelligence operations because of accusations against Mr.Gershkovich spying activities.
Key Negotiations And Challenges
By late 2023 it became clear that Krasikov needed to be released if the deal was going to succeed. Despite various offers made without including him at all times throughout this process, Russia continued insisting on inclusion. Since Krasikov was being held captive within German territory where he could not be unilaterally secured by US officials also known as “The Land”, Sullivan frequently spoke with his German counterpart about how important cooperation from their side would be towards any possible deals involving such individuals like Whelan or even others whose names are not mentioned here but still fall under similar categories (e.g., spies).
International Involvement
To make this arrangement work better the United States wanted other allied countries holding additional Russian spies so they could trade them off too. This worldwide approach resulted in prisoners being set free from Poland, Slovenia, and Norway. In February 2024 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talked things over with President Biden concerning key figures involved in swapping activities namely: krasikov; Navalny; Whelan & Gershkovich.
After wisps of concern emerged from Putin’s lips regarding whether or not there may exist some sort of “deal” involving Gershkovich during interviews conducted previously somewhere else altogether outside Kremlin walls where only a few trusted advisors accompany the head state whenever necessary – things started looking up once again!
