In addition to Harris, according to CNN, the CIA played a decisive role in the historic prisoner exchange.
US Vice President Kamala Harris influenced Germany and Slovenia to meet Russia's demands for a prisoner exchange.
About this writes CNN.
According to the publication, during Harris's visit to the Munich Security Conference in February, her main goal was to discuss the release of U.S. citizens held in Russian custody.
As Harris wrapped up a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the conference, the vice president asked all staff to leave the room for what U.S. officials sometimes call a “restricted bilateral meeting.” Only one aide each to the vice president and the chancellor remained.
It was in that private conversation that Harris emphasized that the release of convicted Russian killer Vadim Krasikov, who was imprisoned in Germany, would be critical to the deal, a White House official told CNN.
According to journalists, Harris pressured Scholz to facilitate the dismissal of Krasikov – US officials have since acknowledged that he was the “biggest fish” the Russians wanted.
During the same trip, Harris also asked to meet with the Slovenian prime minister. The main purpose of the meeting was to press the prime minister to move forward with the release of two Russian citizens held in Slovenia, which the US has identified as a top priority for the Russians.
The official report of the February meeting made no mention of the two leaders discussing a prisoner swap.
As CNN previously reported, Biden – just two weekends before he announced he was ending his 2024 campaign – called the Slovenian prime minister to urge him to follow through on the deal.
In addition to Harris, CNN says the CIA played a crucial role in the historic prisoner swap.
According to the US official, the CIA has been working through the channel with Russian intelligence for years, playing a decisive role in the prisoner exchange.
The latest exchange proposal was presented to Russian intelligence in a third country in late June. The country was not specified, but the publication assumes that it is Turkey.
Recall that today in Turkey there was a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.
At least 10 Russian political prisoners, as well as two Americans accused of espionage and a German citizen sentenced to death in Belarus, were released. There is not a single Ukrainian among those released.
Earlier, Time wrote about the “difficult” relationship between Kamala Harris and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Related topics:
More news
