A prisoner swap is underway for Americans Paul Whelam and Evan Gershkovich held in Russian prisons until now according to cable news this morning.  No more details are available at this time, although speculation by experts abounds currently.  It is anticipated that this is a multi-country deal  – possibly involving Germany as well.  Germans hold a Russian “hit man” that Putin wants returned  to Russia. He shot a man in a park in Berlin in 2019 and has remained in a German prison since that time.  Turkey has acknowledged that it played a role in the negotiations.  It is also reporting that seven countries are involved in this prisoner swap and includes 26 individuals – two of whom are children.  The other countries involved include:  Poland, Norway, Slovenia and Belarus.

The timing of this release came as a surprise to former Ambassador MIchael McFaul he reported on cable tv this morning. He suggested that perhaps the Russian “hit man” sought may be in poor health. Trump has boasted during his campaign that if he is re-elected to President, Putin would release prisoners because of their friendship.  However, speculation continues that perhaps the prisoner swap is underway because Putin doesn’t believe that Trump will be re-elelcted this November.  Or the swap is ongoing because Putin is getting what he wants to make the deal possible.

Putin had said that he would be open to negotiations for a prisoner swap following the conviction of Evan Gershkovich.  That trial was to have been convened in August, but was suddenly moved up and shortened in length because of this looming transaction.

Paul Whelan.  a US Marine and businessman, was arrested in 2018 for espionage.  Gershkovich is a “Wall Street Journal” reporter who is a 2014 graduate of Bowdoin College.

This successful prisoner swap would be a  “fantastic accomplishemnt” for the Biden-Harris Administration according to former Ambassador McFaul.  This is the largest and most complex  prisoner exchange since the Cold War. It has been “in the works” for two years, but intensely for the past two weeks.”.”

President Biden is to address the nation at noon from the White House.  Meanwhile, family members of the two former prisoners have arrived at the White House.