Former President Donald Trump commented on the recent prisoner swap between Russia and the West, which resulted in the release of several individuals including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. Trump described the exchange as a 'win for Putin' during an interview on Fox Business.
Trump acknowledged that while it was positive to have the individuals back home, he expressed concerns about the terms of the deal. He mentioned that the Russians secured a 'phenomenal deal' and emphasized that it set a 'very bad precedent.' The former president highlighted the complexity of the agreement, suggesting that its intricacies were designed to obscure its unfavorable aspects.
The prisoner swap involved 24 detainees from seven countries, with Turkey playing a mediator role in facilitating the exchange. In addition to Gershkovich and Whelan, a number of Russian dissidents were also freed as part of the deal. Notably, Moscow received a convicted Russian assassin who had been serving a sentence in Germany.
Trump criticized the handling of the situation, asserting that under his presidency, such an exchange would not have taken place. He claimed that the individuals should have been returned much earlier and that their initial detention should never have occurred.
The former president's remarks underscore the complexities and implications of international prisoner swaps, particularly in the context of diplomatic relations between Russia and Western nations. The release of Gershkovich, Whelan, and others marks a significant development in the ongoing dynamics between the involved countries.
