A Russian Tupolev Tu-204-300 aircraft prepares to land at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Ankara on August 1, 2024, as Turkish authorities anounced that 26 prisoners have been exchanged with Russia and West. Turkey has coordinated in Ankara an exchange of twenty-six prisoners between Russia and several Western countries, including the American journalist Evan Gershkovich, the Turkish Presidency announced. (Credit: AFP)
The historic prisoner swap with Russia that freed US journalist Evan Gershkovich and 15 other Westerners was the fruit of painstaking, secret talks -- and one crucial phone call from President Joe Biden an hour before he dropped his reelection bid.
Biden welcomed the families of the three US citizens and one US resident to the White House Thursday, just as the release was taking place in Ankara.
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