Kamala Takes Credit For Latest Prisoner Swap

Vice President Kamala Harris played a pivotal role in securing the release of four individuals, including U.S. citizens Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, along with one American green card holder, as noted by national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Sullivan emphasized that President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have made the return of Americans wrongfully detained abroad a top priority for their administration.

During a recent White House briefing, Sullivan detailed how Vice President Harris engaged with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year. This meeting was strategically timed, following a prior discussion between President Biden and Chancellor Scholz. Harris’s face-to-face interaction with the Chancellor was part of a broader series of high-level discussions aimed at resolving the detainment issue.

Sullivan recounted the extensive briefing process, highlighting how both Biden and Harris were deeply involved, posing numerous questions to ensure every aspect of the negotiations was thoroughly covered. He underscored Harris’s significant contribution as a key member of the team responsible for achieving this diplomatic breakthrough.

Emotional in his recounting, Sullivan also praised President Biden’s leadership in the negotiations, which involved complex exchanges, including the release of Whelan, Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza in return for figures such as Vadim Krasikov. Krasikov had been held in Germany for the 2019 murder of Russian dissident Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili in Berlin.

Sullivan described Biden’s efforts as exemplary, noting how the President rallied American allies and used strategic diplomacy to ensure the safe return of American citizens and Russian freedom fighters. He emphasized that Biden’s primary focus throughout the process was to prioritize the well-being of the families affected by this crisis, demonstrating his commitment to protecting American citizens and addressing their families’ suffering with compassion and determination.