Biden Expresses Strong Commitment to Secure Prisoner Exchange for Release of WSJ Reporter

President Biden expressed his commitment to pursuing a prisoner swap for Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who has been held captive in Russia for over 100 days. During a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Helsinki, Biden told reporters, “I’m serious about a prisoner exchange.” He further emphasized the U.S. government’s dedication to freeing Americans detained unlawfully in Russia and elsewhere.

Biden’s statement came in response to a question posed by a Wall Street Journal reporter, who sought an update on efforts to secure Gershkovich’s release and inquired about the president’s seriousness regarding a potential prisoner swap. The White House confirmed ongoing discussions for such an exchange last week. However, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, while acknowledging the talks, tempered expectations by cautioning against false hope and the presence of a clear pathway to a resolution.

The White House remains fully committed to bringing Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan, detained in Russia since 2018, back home. This commitment has been echoed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who revealed that the U.S. and Russia have been discussing a potential swap involving Gershkovich and Russian citizen Vladimir Dunaev, who faces cybercrime charges in the U.S.

Prior to Peskov’s comments, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Gershkovich at Lefortovo prison in Moscow. This further highlights the seriousness and dedication of both governments in resolving this matter. Notably, this prisoner exchange is not unprecedented, as WNBA star Brittney Griner was released by Russia in December through a similar swap arrangement with the U.S., which led to the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.