Reactions to the prisoner exchange

Putin pardons the prisoners - thanks for cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned the twelve prisoners that the country released in the prisoner exchange. This is stated in a statement from the Kremlin, according to Reuters.

The Russian, American and German citizens are considered by, among others, the USA and the EU to have been imprisoned for political reasons.

Putin also thanked all the countries that participated, especially Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenka for freeing the death-row German Rico Krieger. The former Red Cross employee was convicted of terrorism in a trial behind closed doors, according to The Guardian.

In the prisoner exchange in Turkey that was completed at 6 p.m. Swedish time, ten people were handed over to Russia, three to the United States and 13 to Germany, Russian independent Meduza and Insider report.

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Biden: "I have spoken to those released on the phone"

US President Joe Biden and the families of the released Americans have spoken to them by phone after the prisoner exchange, says Biden in a speech shortly after 6pm Swedish time.

- Our allies have taken bold and courageous decisions as part of this agreement, he says in the speech, and mentions in particular that Germany made major concessions.

Germany has handed over the convicted Russian torpedo Vadim Krasikov to Russia.

Earlier on Thursday, Biden also thanked Norway, Poland and Slovenia for good cooperation in a press release where he called the work a "diplomatic feat", writes the Norwegian Dagbladet.

Biden promises to continue working for the release of other imprisoned Americans by Russia, according to AFP.

In the prisoner exchange in Turkey that was completed at 6 p.m. Swedish time, ten people were handed over to Russia, three to the United States and 13 to Germany, Russian independent Meduza and Insider report.

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Amnesty: The prisoner exchange gives a bitter aftertaste – murderers against political prisoners

The historic prisoner exchange on Thursday leaves a bitter aftertaste. According to AFP, the human rights organization Amnesty thinks so.

On one side there is "a murderer and other criminals who were convicted in fair trials" and on the other "people who just used their freedom of expression", writes Christian Mihr, Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International Germany, in a press release.

Amnesty warns that the exchange will lead to increased impunity and more politically motivated arrests in Russia.

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Turkey "the only actor" that could arrange the exchange

Regardless of the role Turkey played in the negotiations for the prisoner exchange, the fact that it took place there strengthens the country's position as a global key player, writes the New York Times.

Turkey has often irritated its NATO allies by refusing to participate in sanctions against Russia and instead boosting its trade with the country.

- Since no other NATO country has any political dialogue with Russia, Turkey was in a way the only actor who could achieve this, Özgür Ünlühisarcikli at the German Marshall Fund's Ankara office told the New York Times.

Several previous prisoner exchanges have taken place in Turkey, including 215 prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia in 2022.

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Expert: The prisoner exchange part of Russian PR work

The fact that Russia carried out the prisoner exchange can be linked to the war in Ukraine. That's what Stefan Ingvarsson, Eastern Europe analyst at the Foreign Policy Institute, told DN.

He believes that it is a way for Russia to show cooperation to countries in the outside world who are tired of the war and want peace negotiations, thus portraying Ukraine as the unreasonable party.

- This prisoner exchange is in line with a larger and broader PR effort on the part of Russia.
Ingvarsson: The imprisonment of Gershkovich a way to scare journalists