Watch Live: Biden announces prisoner swap freeing Americans Evan Gershovich and Paul Whelan

Washington — President Biden is addressing the nation Thursday after securing the release of American citizens imprisoned in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, according to a senior administration official. 

The massive prisoner swap involves 24 prisoners being held in six countries, according to senior administration officials, who described it as the most complex exchange in U.S. and Russian history. The swap took place in Ankara, Turkey. 

The president is scheduled to speak from the White House at noon. 

Whelan and Gershkovich have been imprisoned in Russia on accusations of espionage that were rejected by the United States. Kurmasheva, a dual American and Russian citizen, was detained in Russia in June 2023 on charges of spreading false information about the Russian army. 

Russia sentenced Gershkovich last month to 16 years in prison, after proceedings that were entirely closed to the public. Whelan was also sentenced to 16 years in 2020, two years after he was arrested. Russia provided no public proof that either was involved in espionage. 

News of their expected return to the U.S. comes years of pleading from their families and advocacy groups, as well as extensive negotiations by the Biden administration. 

“Journalism is clearly not a crime,” the president said in April at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C. “Not here, not there, not anywhere in the world. And Putin should release Evan and Alsu immediately … And I give you my word as a Biden, we’re not going to give up until we get them home. All of them. All of them.”

The prisoner swap agreement will likely go down as one of the most significant final achievements of the Biden administration, with less than six months to go until the end of his presidency and career in public office. 

---

How to watch President Biden speak on prisoner swap

• What: President Biden addresses the nation 
• Date: Thursday, Aug. 1
• Time: Noon 
• Location: The White House 
• Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device.

Weijia Jiang, Arden Farhi, Olivia Gazis, Pat Milton and Camilla Schick contributed reporting.