Joe Biden burnishes his legacy with historic prisoner swap

The president is using his final months in office to take a victory lap after weeks of personal and political turmoil.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersBiden burnishes his legacy with historic prisoner swapGetty ImagesPresident Biden announces prisoner swap with RussiaLast month, President Joe Biden said that he had “no higher priority” than gaining the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan from Russian prison.

On Thursday night, after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, arm-twisting and manoeuvring, Biden and his Vice-President, Kamala Harris, exchanged hugs with the two men as they set foot at last on American soil.

For Mr Biden, it was a valedictory turn in the final months of his presidency. For Ms Harris – the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee - it was a chance to share the limelight of a foreign success.

In one particularly powerful moment, Mr Biden removed the American flag pin he always wears on his suit jacket lapel and put it on Mr Whelan. It was a tangible sign of the task accomplished and a promise fulfilled.

The multilateral exchange of 24 prisoners with Russia – the largest such swap since the Cold War – represents a significant feather in the cap of a man who abandoned his re-election bid less than two weeks ago.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1e1ygx7r1o

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