Tears of joy overflowed as the detainees reunited with their families
Biden 'overwhelmed' to reunite families with prisoners released by Russia.Tears of joy flowed in the Oval Office as families of prisoners like Evan Gershkovich, who was released by Russia in the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War, attended. They called their loved ones for the first time, as a video from the White House aired on Thursday.
"It's your mom. Can you hear me? It's your mom," Gershkovich's mother told her Wall Street Journal reporter son in a moving two-minute video of the virtual reunion posted to President Joe Biden's social media account X.
As the families stood around the president's imposing desk, Biden told the released prisoners, "I just want to say how overwhelmed we are." "You've been wrongfully detained for a long time, and we are glad you are home."
Every parent, child, spouse, and loved one who joined me in the Oval Office today has been praying for this day for a long time.
In just a few short hours when our fellow Americans return home, those prayers will be answered.
President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
Russia freed Gershkovich, ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and others on Thursday as part of the elaborate multi-country exchange that the White House said involved 24 prisoners, including Russian hitman Vadim Kasikov, released by Germany "Every parent, child, spouse and loved one who joined me in the Oval Office today has been praying for this day for a long time," Biden posted about the deal, which was negotiated in secrecy for more than a year.
In the video, Biden tells family members the detainees have been released and are heading to board the plane that will take them from Russia to the United States.
"No word is strong enough for this. "I was sure I would die in prison," Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza told his family in tears.
