Introduction: Evan Gershkovich,

Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan,
Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Kershkovich and Russian-American journalist
Alsu Kurmaseva have returned to the United States, officials said.

As they stepped off the plane, President Joe Biden and Vice President
Kamala Harris greeted the trio at Joint Base Andrews near Washington.

Americans participated in an emergency exchange of 24

prisoners involving Russia, the United States and several other countries,
the largest since the

Cold War in which President Biden
was directly involved, the White House said Thursday.

transfer made it possible for illegally

The transfer made it possible for illegally imprisoned Americans
Gershkovich and Whelan to return home from Russia.
Congratulating the Americans, Biden expressed special

thanks to the journalists from Germany and Slovenia.
Also: Alsou Kurmasheva’s family still “hopes”
he will be released after the Russian prisoner exchange.

“The tough call on this issue is to other countries because
I’ve asked them to do things that are against their own interests,
especially Germany and Slovenia,” Biden said.

Asked if such an exchange

Asked if such an exchange would make it more likely that
Americans would be taken abroad,

Biden said: “Historically, it has.
My number one goal is to not get them. We need to get him back for that.

The reporters also asked Biden if he had a
message for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Stop,” Biden replied.
Returning Americans and their families in the JBA will be

transported to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio,
Texas, where they will

provide support following the
isolation of the San Antonio Brook Army Medical Center. .

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said shortly before noon on Thursday that
Mr. Gershkevich and Mr.
Whelan had been released and were on their way back to the United States.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the multi-stakeholder
agreement was the culmination of

months of detailed and careful negotiations.
“Some of these men and women have been wrongfully imprisoned for years.

All have endured unima

ginable suffering and torment.
Today their suffering ends,” Biden said in a statement.
“It’s a great afternoon,” Biden said shortly afterward as the

freed families surrounded the White House. My family and
I were just able to talk to them on the phone from the Oval Office.
They are leaving Russia.

When a reporter asked Mr. Biden what he said,
Mr. Biden responded with a smile:

“I said, ‘You’re welcome, I’ll be back soon.'”
He said the agreement was “a product of diplomacy and friendship.”

“Without Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey,
this deal would not have been possible. We made the right
decision and released the prisoners. We support Americans

returning home, so it is important for
those who question whether allies are important.”
A plane believed to be carrying released prisoners was seen

arriving at Ankara airport in Turkey on Thursday morning,
according to the Associated Press.