Paul Whelan released

Irish citizen Paul Whelan has been released from a Russian prison as part of a significant prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia, which also saw Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich freed. This exchange, considered the largest since the Cold War, involved around two dozen individuals and took place in Turkey, confirmed by both U.S. and Russian officials. Taoiseach Simon Harris expressed relief for Whelan's family, who had campaigned for his release after he was wrongfully convicted of espionage in 2020. U.S. President Joe Biden hailed the swap as a 'feat of diplomacy', noting that many of those released had been unjustly imprisoned. The deal required concessions from various countries, highlighting the complexities of international negotiations amid strained U.S.-Russia relations. With this exchange, the Biden administration has secured the release of 16 individuals, including political prisoners from multiple nations.