Kamala Harris Reportedly Played Crucial Role In Prisoner Exchange That Brought WSJ Journalist And Former Marine Back Home

Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly played a significant role in negotiating a prisoner-swap deal with international allies.

What Happened: Harris held separate discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob during the Munich Security Conference in February, Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The goal of these meetings was to encourage both leaders to facilitate the prisoner exchange, a White House official disclosed.

The Vice President’s dialogue with Scholz was especially vital as the release of Krasikov, a primary Russian demand, depended on it. Harris’s established rapport with Scholz was a contributing factor to their effective conversation. Harris’s meeting with Golob, her first, was the highest-level U.S. engagement with the Slovenian government at the time.

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Additionally, Harris had a conversation with Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Alexey Navalny. Some Russian political prisoners associated with Navalny were released as part of the swap, the White House official confirmed.

Why It Matters: This prisoner-swap deal led to the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who were imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, as part of a significant prisoner exchange with the U.S.

Following the landmark prisoner swap, President Joe Biden and Harris welcomed Gershkovich and the other returnees at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

The prisoner exchange has not been without controversy. Former President Donald Trump criticized the deal, using the detention of Americans in Russia as a point of attack against Biden. However, White House officials clarified that the deal did not involve a cash exchange.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari