The exchange of prisoners between the West and Russia is a cause for concern

The most significant prisoner exchange between Western countries and Russia since the years of the Cold War, which took place in Turkey on August 1, released 16 people from Russian prisons, and eight people who were released arrived in the West Russia.

Observers point out that the talks on the release of prisoners covered many countries, which made it difficult to reach an agreement. Experts also warn of the danger of wrongly exchanging imprisoned people for traitors and criminals.

Long and difficult conversations

Negotiations over a prisoner exchange have dragged on for several years, negotiators have revealed. The White House has confirmed that the talks also considered the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny died in prison in Russia in February, which has changed the focus of the talks. Observers say that the main goal of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is to secure the release of Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the murder of Chechen leader Zelimkhan Hangoshvili in Germany. This was indirectly confirmed by Putin at the beginning of the year in an interview with the American reporter Tucker Carlson. It should be noted that

The West managed to release 16 people imprisoned in Russia, while Putin imprisoned only eight Russian spies and criminals in Western countries.

However, this is not the first time that a Russian dictator has agreed to release a larger number of people in order to release one of his friends. In September 2022, he agreed to release 215 Ukrainian prisoners of war in exchange for Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Moscow politician imprisoned in Ukraine.

The priority of the administration of US President Joe Biden in the negotiations is the release of the Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years in Russia for “espionage”. The participants did not hide that the talks were held in difficult geopolitical conditions. “With the war in Ukraine and the general deterioration of relations with Russia, it has been very difficult to release Americans who have been detained in Russia,” said Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. Since Krasikov was imprisoned in Germany, it was also difficult to persuade Berlin to release the Russian special services employee, the Western media note.

President Biden said after the exchange of prisoners that it was a success thanks to “diplomacy and friendship” and emphasized the importance of “relatives”.

Discussions on the convenience of exchanges

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that the exchange was only possible thanks to “intense cooperation with many European countries and especially with the United States of America” ​​over a long period of time. He also confirmed that the exchange was reasonable and advised critics to talk to the freed people. However, there have been discussions in Germany about how effective it is to release a convicted murderer. These talks were held in hushed tones, and the Christian Democrats opposed their support for the exchange, according to the broadcaster “Deutsche Welle”. Chancellor Scholtz has announced that he contacted opposition leader Friedrich Mertz about it before the exchange. Berlin’s agreement to Washington’s request for the release of Krasikov, a member of Russia’s special services, was also made possible by the execution in Belarus of a German citizen, Rico Krueger, who was also involved in the exchange. this summer, highlighting former US Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst. The prisoner exchange has also caused ripples in Poland. In exchange, Warsaw released Pablo González (Pavel Rubtsova), accused in Poland of spying for Russia.

Criticism has been caused by Poland’s failure to release the Polish journalist Andrzej Pochobut who was imprisoned in Russia.

It is known that prisoners from the USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Belarus and Russia were exchanged at Ankara airport on August 1. After the exchange, ten people (two of them children of exchange participants) went to Russia, and three to the United States. Another 13 people went to Germany from Russian prisons. Among them was Krieger, who was convicted in Belarus, as well as several anti-Russian figures, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin.

Hosts in exchange for criminals

US President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland welcomed Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was also convicted of treason, and journalist Alsa Kurmasheva, who was convicted of spreading “fake news” about the Russian military. The agreement reached can be added to the list of foreign policy successes of President Biden and it could also increase the chances for Vice President Harris in the presidential elections in November, which according to the group “Reuters”, however, it also draws attention to the negative aspects of the agreement.

Critics stress that releasing Russian citizens convicted of serious crimes in exchange for Americans wrongfully detained in Russia can create additional problems.

Such a policy can lead to a situation where enemies of the United States take Americans as hostages and then exchange them. A similar style was already done in 2022, when the American basketball player Brittney Grainer, who was imprisoned in Russia, was exchanged for the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. “I remain concerned that continuing to exchange innocent Americans for real Russian criminals imprisoned in the United States and elsewhere sends a dangerous signal to Putin that will only encourage more host,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul.