Biden Welcomes Relatives of Released Hostages to White House

Well, good afternoon. And this is a very good afternoon. A very good afternoon. Today we’re bringing home Paul, Evan, also 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. Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in show trials and sends them to long prison terms with absolutely no legitimate reason whatsoever, none. And now, their brutal ordeal is over and they’re free. Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia. Earlier today, they were flown to Turkey and soon they’ll be wheels up on their way home to see their families. This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. It’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who’ve been praying for this day for a long time. The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship.