The person being released is very special, says President Donald Trump at the White House about Wednesday's expected release, according to AP.
Trump poses in front of the cameras with the happy teacher Marc Fogel. He was arrested in 2021 for possession of marijuana, which he had been prescribed in the USA, and served a 14-year prison sentence in Russia before being released.
"Treated nicely"
Behind the release lies a likely complex diplomatic game where Trump's envoy and billionaire Steve Witkoff plays a crucial role. It was he who traveled with Fogel from Moscow and took him to the White House after landing, according to media.
Together with national security adviser Michael Waltz, Witkoff has played a crucial role in the negotiated "exchange" that led to the release. Whether the USA has given Russia something in the deal and what it is, if so, is unclear. But the agreement with Vladimir Putin's regime is praised at the White House.
Very, very fair, very reasonable, says Donald Trump about the agreement.
We were treated very nicely by the Russians. I hope this is the beginning of a relationship that leads to us being able to end the war.
Exchanging territories?
Michael Waltz makes similar hints. The prisoner exchange is "a sign that we're going in the right direction when it comes to ending the brutal and horrific war in Ukraine", he says according to AP.
Just hours earlier, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a territorial exchange with Russian and Ukrainian territories could become a reality to reach a peace agreement. The sensational statement was made in an interview with The Guardian where Zelensky also emphasized that Trump must get Russia to the negotiating table in such a case.
The Ukrainian president, who is participating in the security conference in Munich, Germany this weekend and will meet Trump's Vice President JD Vance, also stressed that US support is crucial for his country.
He has said he is willing to offer American companies lucrative reconstruction contracts in Ukraine. He has also signaled that he could consider meeting Trump halfway and offering rare earth metals in exchange for continued support.
During the election campaign last fall, Trump said he could quickly end the Ukraine war.
