EU President Calls Prisoner Exchange 'Moment Of Great Joy'

BRUSSELS, Aug 2 (Bernama-dpa) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states "a moment of great joy".

"I welcome the release of innocent citizens from EU & US and upright Russian democrats held captive in Russia," von der Leyen said in a post on social media platform X.

"The Kremlin swapped them for convicted criminals and murderers. This shows the stark difference. This is a moment of great joy for all who have fought for their freedom."

Russia, Belarus and several Western countries exchanged a total of 26 prisoners at Ankara airport in an unprecedented operation involving  Türkiye's National Intelligence Organisation (MIT). 

In return for the release of political prisoners and critics of the Kremlin, Germany, the US and partner countries released actors from Russia suspected of espionage in addition to a man who was serving a life sentence in Germany for killing an exiled Chechen in 2019, reported German news agency (dpa).

Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed the major prisoner exchange between Russia and Western states.

"I welcome today's release of wrongfully detained Allied citizens and Russian political prisoners," said the NATO boss in a post on social media platform X.

"Close cooperation between #NATO Allies made this achievement possible. The right to peaceful opposition and freedom of the media are vital for any functioning society."

 In Washington, US President Joe Biden thanked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his contribution to the large-scale prisoner exchange.

"I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the chancellor," Biden said during a press conference in Washington on Thursday. 

"The demands (Russia was) making of me required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded they could not do so. But In the end, Germany conceded and made its contribution, as did several other countries involved in the negotiations.

"But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Türkiye stepped up. And it — it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter," Biden said.  

As part of the deal, Germany released convicted Russian murderer, Vadim K, who was serving a life sentence for killing an exiled Chechen in broad daylight in a central Berlin park in 2019 - on the orders of Russian state authorities.

When asked what Germany had demanded in return for its own cooperation, Biden said, "Nothing".

-- BERNAMA-dpa