Last week, the Biden Administration, in a prisoner swap with Russia, freed 16 prisoners, three of which were Americans, including Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershovich and former marine Paul Whelan, according to NPR News.
“I am grateful to our allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome— including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
In an interview with Arkies in the Beltway, U.S Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, who is the co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on American Hostages and Americans Wrongfully Detained Abroad, expressed approval for the prisoner swap.
“That is a cause for celebration of this nation, because we have over 50 Americans that are held wrongfully in other nations. And what we have is a success that can bring these Americans home after months, and in some cases years of imprisonment. It's a victory,” he said.
Hill has also said Russia needs to be held accountable for wrongfully detaining Americans.
