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Americas Released In Historic Prisoner Swap With Russia; Americans Evan Gershkovich And Paul Whelan Released From Russia In Historical Prisoner Swap; Biden Speaks After Massive Russia-U.S. Prisoner Swap; Biden: "A Feat Of Diplomacy" Made The Release Deal Possible. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired August 01, 2024 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[12:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Welcome to Inside Politics. I'm Dana Bash. And we are following big breaking news today. American's Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan are in American custody after a massive, massive prisoner swap with Russia. It involves 26 people and seven countries. This exchange happened at an airport in Ankara, Turkey. You see that airport there. It happened just moments ago.

President Biden confirmed the exchange. The deal also included Washington Post columnist Vladimir Kara-Murza among others. Now we haven't yet seen, of course, the people who are coming off. And historically, just to put this in context, this has not happened. Nothing close to this has happened since the end of the cold war.

Any moment, President Biden will address the nation from the White House. We will of course bring that to you live. CNN journalists are in place across the world, working their sources, and they're going to bring you all the latest details. Matthew Chance is in London, Kylie Atwood at the State Department.

We're going to start though with MJ Lee at the White House. MJ, I know you have some new reporting on what to expect from President Biden and some of the details that went into this historic day.

MJ LEE, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Dana. This is certainly a momentous day for the Biden administration. And we can now report that the president of course just moments ago, personally informed the families here at the White House of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza. Three U.S. citizens and one U.S. permanent resident, that they are, in fact now are safely on their way home back to the United States.

The president is going to be delivering remarks any moment now. And we already saw a paper statement from the president calling this agreement, a feat of diplomacy. This is indeed a historic and multinational, multifaceted deal that has really been years in the making. Just keep in mind that Paul Whelan, for example, was already in detention by the time that President Biden took office in early 2021. So, securing his release is something that the president has been working on for the entirety of his first term. And the president has been pushing to get this deal across the finish line in recent days, including, of course, as he was contemplating the end of his second term reelection campaign.

A senior administration official tells us that about an hour before the president, 11 days ago released that letter to the public ending his campaign. He had been on the phone for example with his Slovenian counterpart to try to push this deal across the finish line.

Now, while there is certainly expected to be a mood of celebration in the air here at the White House today, of course, it is so much more complicated than that. We know that this was a prisoner deal, that always means that the administration is forced to make some excruciating, painful and tough decisions.

A prisoner swap also means that the administration is not always going to get everything and everyone that they would have hoped for. And I just want to bring your attention quickly to the American Marc Fogel. This is somebody who had been sentenced to 14 years in a labor camp in Russia after teaching in Moscow. A senior administration official tells us that the administration had push for Fogel's release.

However, it just wasn't going to happen is what this official said, but they are going to be redoubling their efforts to try to get Marc Fogel out at a later time. And I just also want to make a broader point here as well.

While this agreement, Dana, does show that there are certainly open lines of diplomatic channels between the U.S. and Russia, U.S. officials have been very insistent that this does not mean that there has been some sort of breakthrough or even a detente in U.S. Russian relations. And they're insisting that diplomacy towards Russia, particularly as they continue their offensive against Ukraine, back to diplomatic efforts, and those views are fundamentally not going to change.

But again, we expect there to be a real celebration here at the White House as President Biden delivers this news to the American people. But again, we should note that there is going to be that celebration, but heartache as well as there are still Americans detained abroad that the U.S. government would like to continue working on to bring home. Dana?

[12:05:00]

BASH: Yeah. So many mixed emotions here. And you talked about the U.S., the Biden administration in particular, saying that there's no change with regard to its relationship with Russia. We're hearing some different sentiment from Russia, which we'll get to with Matthew Chance in a moment. Thank you so much for that excellent reporting as always, MJ.

And we just got a statement from Paul Whelan's family. And I'll read part of it. It says, quote, Paul was a Russian hostage for 2043 days. Thank you for covering Paul's story and helping us share our messages and advocacy for his release. Over that time, Paul will be receiving U.S. government support as all freed hostages do in the next few days and weeks. I hope you will give him some privacy as you have done with other released hostages.

This is now Paul's story to tell. And I'm sure he will, in time, communicate how he wants to tell it. It is vital that he be given agency over his life again, something the Kremlin took away for so many years. Wow, powerful statement.

I want to bring in CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood. And I want you to talk about what you're learning from your sources. But as you do just listening or reading that statement and thinking about what Paul Whelan's family is saying.

And thinking about the fact that our colleague, Jenny Hansler, has been able to talk several times to Paul Whelan as he has been in this Russian prison. And you could always hear that -- understandably, you could hear the frustration in his voice, the idea that he's now in U.S. custody is just remarkable.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right. As Paul Whelan figures out how to tell his story as a freed American, who was wrongfully detained in Russia for more than five years.

It's worth noting that he has already been telling his story throughout the course of the last few years here, because he has made phone calls from prison to our colleague Jennifer Hansler to tell her what kind of emotions he's been going through, particularly as there were other prisoner exchanges where he was left behind, other Americans left Russia and he was left behind. That was tremendously challenging for him.

So now, we'll watch and see, you know, what the next steps look like for him in sharing that story. We've got a statement just in the last few minutes here from the secretary of state who said that there are three Americans who are now on their way home to the United States from Russia, of course, that's Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, and Alsu Kurmasheva, and then there's one green card holder.

We've been talking about him Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is a prominent Kremlin critic, who had been very vocally against the Kremlin for years. And he's also been freed as part of this prisoner exchange.

And the secretary of state spoke about the extraordinary effort on behalf of the government, State Department, NSC, CIA, that came to the point, where there will secure the release of all of these Americans.

BASH: Kylie, thank you so much. Appreciate that. And look at this. Just a few minutes ago, the Wall Street Journal updated its homepage. I mean, if that doesn't give you chills, I don't know. What does. That big bold banner headline. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is free.

Let's talk about this with CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Jonah Goldberg of the Dispatch, CNN's Nic Robertson, Beth Sanner, who is former Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and CNN's Jim Sciutto. And Jim, I want to start with you because you have been talking to Evan's family this morning.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: The reaction relation, an enormous amount of anticipation and relief following, well, months of detention, but also stops and starts, right? There were moments when they thought they might be close to a deal and seeing their son, their brother freed. And then of course, those hopes disappeared.

And right up until the final moment, it was interesting speaking to someone close to the family this morning. There was an enormous amount of nervousness, right, because you're in those final moments, despite everything you've heard, you know the enormous efforts that were made and all the pieces that were coming together until all those pieces come together. And until they're able to see their loved ones safe on that tarmac in Turkey.

And now see the statement from the U.S. secretary of state saying, they are on a flight back to the U.S. They were not going to be ready to celebrate. So, it was a mix of emotions this morning for them and quite understandable, I think given what they -- what they've been through.

BASH: And Nic, he's been there a little more than a year, was just sentenced recently as you just saw on the screen there to 16 years in prison. Paul Whelan has been there since December of 2018.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And it's been a period for him of the utmost horror, I suppose, of the implausibility of a situation, of the irrationality of a situation but the understanding that he is absolutely being used as a pawn by Vladimir Putin. And the reason I say that, and his family will understand this, and our colleague Jen Hansler will understand this who has taken his calls from jail.

[12:10:00]

These calls have come from the jail the day after significant events have happened lately -- like the death of Alexei Navalny. When Paul Whelan speaks about his own concerns, that is purely and simply the manipulation by the -- by Putin to put pressure on the negotiations, because it just highlights what's at stake here.

I mean, we've heard from our colleague Matthew Chance saying, it was anticipated earlier that Alexei Navalny would have been part of this package of release. What stronger signal is there at the cost of not complying with the pressure that Putin is putting on to have another prisoner say, I also fear for my life.

So, there's a huge amount of cynical manipulation that has gone on by the Kremlin. It's not a surprise at all. But this is -- this is what has been applied. And this is how it's been applied. And Paul has been part of that, and his family now say, he'll be able to tell a story for himself. And what a story. But he also has been at the center of this in a way that none of us can possibly imagine, there's that voice of all those prisoners.

BASH: Yeah. I mean, such an important point, Nic, to talk about why we were able to hear from him are former Russian prison those times. I believe also laughter Brittney Griner was -- way to put pressure.

You spent your life in intelligence as if -- then you ended up as the deputy director of national intelligence. We understand from our terrific reporters that this was very much done by the intelligence community. I know you're not in it now. But talk about what that kind of Herculean effort it takes to do something like this, more than two dozen prisoners, seven countries involved?

BETH SANNER, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Well, I think I can safely channel Bill Burns and saying that this was a team effort. I don't think he would say that CIA did this alone. And I think when you look at the diplomacy that has to be done to get seven allied countries to actually implement something at a cost to them. Nor away he didn't get anything in exchange, right. They gave up a prisoner because they thought it was the right thing to do to get all of these other prisoners out.

And so, also, I think that, you know, the United States intel community has been at the forefront of so many of these. Leon Panetta in 2010. When we had these 10 Russian illegals and other people. Russians buried into our society, pretending to be Americans were exchange. Leon Panetta was at the forefront of that. And our own Jim Clapper was, you know, went to North Korea to get poor Otto Warmbier out. So, so many of these and of course, during the cold war, but absolutely crucial.

BASH: I want to -- I want to go to you both because we're waiting for the president to speak. And I want to talk about that moment, which is a big one. But really quickly. We haven't talked yet about the Russians who have been released, particularly the one that I want to ask you about is the one who is serving -- was serving a life sentence in Germany and assassin and former FSB official Vadim Krasikov. How big of a deal. I mean, the Germans did not want to let him go, understandably?

SANNER: No, exactly. Because, you know, this is about rule of law. And when we were trying to get the Germans to release him, and the reason we wanted to release him is because this was the number one ask for Vladimir Putin. Because this is one of their own. This is an FSB, their equivalent of CIA colonel who was assigned to go to Germany and kill a dissident, someone who they just thought was a threat.

BASH: Right, a former Chechen.

SANNER: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

SANNER: And now, the Germans had two people they could get out life sentence, long sentence. And that was probably helpful in sealing this deal. BASH: To you both. Jeff, I'll start with you. I want to go back to what MJ was talking about as we wait for President Biden to speak. That reporting about the Sunday that he announced that he was going to step out of the race. And that along with that kind of drama and pressure and life changing, democracy changing situation. He's also work in the phones, talking to lead -- world leaders about this very deal.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: And they're separate in every way except that this is why President Biden thought that he is the best man for the job, because he, of course, has spent his life doing foreign policy, foreign relations work from the Senate to the vice presidency to the president's -- to the Oval Office.

[12:15:00]

So, he believes he's the best person for the job. So doing the job day to day to day, he thought that he was the best candidate for the job that turned about not to be the case in the eyes of many Democrats. But I do think that for President Biden as we wait to hear from him here, this is a legacy defining moment without question, some 70 hostages and prisoners have been released under his watch.

I think this is a very defining. I look forward to hearing what he says on this. But to me, we just heard that to J. D. Vance, of course, the Republican vice-presidential candidate told our Steve Contorno in an interview at the border that he believes it's because of Putin was afraid of Trump coming back into office. I'm not sure that that it's true. I mean, we will see as that comes out, but for President Biden first, this is a legacy defining moment.

BASH: And I just want to alert you and our viewers were inside the two-minute warning to hear from President Biden. So, if I interrupt you, I apologize in advance.

JONAH GOLDBERG, CO-FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE DISPATCH: Look, I think there's no getting around the fact that I think Jeff is entirely right. This is a moment for Joe Biden that he does, you know, when bad things happen on presidents' watches, they get blamed sometimes unfairly. And when good things happen on their watches, they get credit sometimes unfairly. I don't think this is an unfairly time.

It is particularly where I've always been a critic of this idea of multi tracks and diplomacy in national affairs, because you're always dealing with one other country. The fact that this happens the same week, the first F-16 show up in Ukraine is really kind of amazing. You would think that Putin would say, we slow that down and that wouldn't go forward with this. So that's very impressive to me.

And I hate these kinds of deals, because we're trading guilty, horrible people for -- guilty and or horrible people, for innocent people. And that's going to -- that always rubs Americans the wrong way. But this is clearly a win on the merits and politically.

BASH: Can you just quickly as we wait -- weigh in on what J. D. Vance told our colleague Steve Contorno, that this is all about Putin preparing for Trump?

GOLDBERG: Yeah. I think that's what social scientists would call very stupid. I mean, look -- I mean, we're going to see on Truth Social in a matter of minutes. Trump floating some version of that, right. He's going to be very upset because he is one who said, you get me elected, I will get these guys home. That takes -- it was a bad talking point -- in the first place.

But I think he farted for years, and a lot of people have -- I think this is speculation. But one of the criminology things literally, is that it now looks like Trump could actually lose. So, Putin is going to take the chips off the board. He can now and already on Russian television. They're now talking about what does it mean that Trump would actually look.

BASH: All right. Is there something to that the timing?

SANNER: No, no. I think it's actually because Biden was able to put together this multi-country deal, dealing with Schultz in Germany, who has already said, Biden should be elected. There is no way Schultz would make this deal down the road for -- with a bad relationship with President Trump. So, I think it's strike where the iron hot --

BASH: But then there is another -- but the other side of this equation is Putin. So, what about should I mean?

SANNER: Putin is seeing this is the only opportunity he's going to get because under Trump, Trump could not deliver the German prisoner that Putin wants the most.

SCIUTTO: And we should also know that Trump said in May that he would release Gershkovich when he's in office, right. So, to counteract, Vance saying he's doing it now, out of fear of Trump. Trump had claim that, in fact, the deal would come when I came into office, you Know.

ROBERTSON: I think the question for me at the moment is, what else is Putin getting out of this beyond and why this moment? I think Ukraine hangs behind it. Because therein lies a lot of the pressures, the financial pressures on Russia that that window of opportunity with potential political changes that are coming out of the election. That Putin sees this as a moment to do this, but does it mean that he's open to negotiations on all over Ukraine?

And what kind of negotiations and what does it mean. And is part of this about the sanctions pressure that is under. It's sort of, as we understand at the moment, 16th, eight. There's an imbalance. And does Putin really care about these individuals --

BASH: Nic, let's listen to the president.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, good afternoon. And this is a very good afternoon. Very Good afternoon. Today we're bringing on Paul, Evan, Alsu, Vladimir. Three American citizens, one American green card holder. All four have been imprisoned unjustly in Russia. Paul for nearly six years, Vladimir since 2022, Evan since March of 2023, and Alsu since October of 2023.

[12:20:00]

Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them and show trial and sends them in the long prison terms, with absolutely no legitimate reason whatsoever, none. Paul a former Marine was in Russia for a wedding. Evan, a journalist with the Russian in Russia -- was in Russia signed by the Wall Street Journal. Alsu, also a journalist was in Russia to see family.

All three falsely accused to be spies. And Vladimir, who is a Russian citizen by birth and holds an American green card. He's a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and was Paul Bear, my friend John McCain's funeral with me. He spoke out against Putin's regime for that he was convicted of treason. And now, their brutal ordeal is over. And they're free.

Moments ago, families and I are able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They're out of Russia. Earlier today, they're flown to Turkey. And soon there'll be wills up on their way home to see their families. This is an incredible relief for all the family members who's gathered here

It's relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country. We've been praying for this day for a long time. The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy, and friendship, friendship, multiple countries helped get this done. They joined difficult complex negotiations at my request. And I personally thank them all again. I've thanked them personally and I'll thank them again.

I was told, Russia released 16 prisoners, eight Russians were being held in the west will be sent home as well. The 16 prisoners from Russia, that Russia has released include four Americans, five Germans, seven Russian citizens who are political prisoners in their own country.

One of those Russians runs the human rights organization memorial, which won a Nobel Prize in 2022. Putin thrown in prison for voicing opposition to war in Ukraine. For others, work with Alexei Navalny, political opposition either died in Russia prison in this year. Now, they can live safely abroad and continue their work of advocating for democracy, if they so choose.

They still would not have been made possible without our allies. Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey, they all stepped up. And they stood with us. They stood with us. And they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who are justifiably be now. And provide a logistical support to get the Americans home.

So, anyone have questions with allies' matter, they do. They matter. Today is a powerful example of why it's vital that friends in this world, friends you can trust, work with and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this. Our alliances make our people safer. And we began to see that again today. Let me say this says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world. It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison.

The United States helped secure their release as well. That's who we are in the United States. We stand for freedom and liberty, justice, not only for our own people, but for others as well. And that's why all Americans can take pride and what we've achieved today.

I want to thank everyone in my administration helped make this happen. Our work did not start just on day one. It started before day one. During the transition, I instructed our national security team to dig into all the cases of hostages being wrongfully detained, which were inherently well. We inherited them from the private -- the prior administration.

I wanted to make sure, we hit the ground running. And we did. As of today, my administration is brought home over 70 Americans were wrongfully detained held hostage abroad. Many since before I took office. Additionally, I issued an executive order in 2022, authorize the penalties like sanctions and travel bans on those who hold Americans against their will.

And my State Department has introduced new warnings for Americans about the risk of being wrongfully detained by foreign government. Deals like this one come with tough calls. There're never any guarantees. There's nothing that matters more to me of protecting Americans at home and abroad. And so, we'll continue to work for the release of all wrongfully detained Americans around the world.

[12:25:00]

Let me end where I began, with Paul, Evan and Alsu, Vladimir and their families. They never gave up hope. You can imagine what they've been through all of you. And in fact, this lady right here, I think was in the Oval Office with us for a while. All couldn't decide. Can't imagine their joy right now. Their home. Tomorrow is a big day. The 13th birthday of Mariam -- Miriam Butorin. Come here.

You all know we have a tradition in the Biden family. We sing Happy Birthday on any birthday. You're ready? All of you.

(SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY)

Remember, no serious guys until you're 30. God love you. She's Alsu's daughter. Now she gets to celebrate with her mom. That's what this is all about. Families able to be together again, like they should have been all along. So, I want to thank you again, to everyone who did their part.

In just a few hours, we'll welcome home our fellow Americans. We're looking forward to that. God willing, we're going to be out at Andrews and get that done. So, thank you, thank you, thank you. And this good day. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you say to them on the phone, sir? What did you say when they answered the phone on the other side?

BIDEN: I said, welcome almost home.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So-called abductor states are simply taking more Americans in order to get more of their prisoners home. How do you end these perverse incentives, sir.

BIDEN: Advising people not to go certain places. Telling them what's -- at risk and what's at stake.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, was there a turning point in these negotiations? And then we speak to the complexity of working with six countries to secure these releases?

BIDEN: Well, look. I'm not going to take the time now, but I'll do this later in the week. I particularly owe a great sense of gratitude to the chancellor. The demands they're making to e required me to get some significant concessions from Germany, which they originally concluded as they could not do because of the person question. But everybody stepped up. Poland stepped up. Slovenia stepped up. Turkey stepped up. And it matters to have relationships. It really does. These things matter.

(CROSSTALK)

BIDEN: Pardon me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could this improve relations with Russia? Is there any avenue for that after this prisoner exchange deal?

BIDEN: As my sister might say, your lips to God's ears, man.

(CROSSTALK

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever speak directly with Vladimir Putin about this? Or would you be willing to speak with Putin now directly?

BIDEN: I don't need to speak with Putin.

(CROSSTALK

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of weigh that decision of letting somebody out who sounds like (inaudible)?

BIDEN: I got home innocent people. Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

BIDEN: Yes, I've spoken with all the leaders about this.

(CROSSTALK)

BIDEN: And, by the way, as a father -- look, you heard me say this before and I mean it. My dad had a simple proposition. Family is the beginning, the middle, and the end. Blood of my blood and bone of my bone.

I could think of nothing more consequential. I mean this sincerely. And having lost family, not -- in a different way and not knowing what's happening their circumstance when they're accidental --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, what did Germany ask for in response for their cooperation?

BIDEN: Nothing.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump has said, repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange. What do you say to that? What do you say to President Trump -- former President Trump.

BIDEN: Why didn't he do it when he was president?

BASH: I think that was what they call a mic drop moment at the end there. Why didn't you do it when he was president? What a historic moment. Watching and listening President Biden, now trying to finish out his one and only term and doing so with a tremendous victory for these families.

Of these people who were held. He said innocently. They are innocent people they were held without reason, and most importantly, the people who are coming home. He said, when he spoke to them, welcome almost home.

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