As the journalists managed to find out, the large exchange of prisoners on August 1, 2024 is the result of secret negotiations between the West and Moscow, which began more than 2 years ago.
Points of attention
- The United States and its allies were arranging diplomatic maneuvers regarding the exchange of prisoners with Russia.
- There were also high-level talks between the American and German leaders regarding the release of Russian opposition leader Oleksiy Navalny
- Preparations for the exchange took place even against the background of the collapse of the political future of US President Joe Biden.
How the US and its allies negotiated an exchange with Russia
Insiders say that the Kremlin was ready for negotiations for several months after the detention of American basketball player Brittney Greener in Russia in February 2022.
Moscow has repeatedly approached the White House with a proposal to exchange Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, convicted in the Russian Federation of espionage, as part of a deal to release Russian killer Vadim Krasikov.
However, the US authorities rejected this proposal, because Krasikov was serving a life sentence in Germany.
It later became known that Griner was traded in December 2022 for the arms dealer Victor But.
Against this background, negotiations between Washington and Berlin continued. It was suggested that if Germany releases Krasikov, it will receive Russian opposition leader Oleksiy Navalny instead.
Negotiations in this regard also took place at a high level — directly between the American and German leaders — Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz.
They were even able to reach a preliminary agreement on a deal that included Krasikov's release.
However, on February 16, 2024, Navalny died in the Arctic colony, and Germany once again lost interest in the idea of an exchange.
Biden was able to persuade Scholz a second time
A few months ago, the head of the White House sent a letter to the Chancellor of Germany, in which he described a complex potential agreement.
After that, Olaf Scholz made it clear to the States that he was ready to release Krasikov.
Washington conveyed its new proposal to Moscow, and then waited, after which encouraging signals began to arrive from Russia: the trials of Hershkovich and Kurmashoova began, and then were accelerated.
Only two weeks ago it became known that Putin agreed to the exchange of prisoners.
Journalists draw attention to the fact that preparations for the exchange took place even when the political future of President Biden was crumbling before our eyes.
