In a critical evening towards the Biden administration, former president Donald Trump congratulated the Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin on a recent prisoner exchange, calling the agreement the most significant since the end of the Cold War.
During a rally held on Saturday in Atlanta, Trump praised Putin for having outsmarted U.S. officials, but he did not mention any of the released American prisoners.
"I want to congratulate Vladimir Putin for achieving another great agreement... We have 59 hostages; I never paid anything... Wow, we make horrible, horrible deals. It's nice to say that we got them back, but does that set a bad precedent?" Trump stated, criticizing the US government's handling of the agreement.
The agreement, announced on Thursday by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, culminated in an emotional ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, where they met with the released prisoners.
However, according to the Washington Post, Trump did not acknowledge the work of the U.S. officials who negotiated the agreement for months. Instead, he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the U.S. negotiators, labeling their efforts as shameful in a post on Truth Social.
It is worth noting that Trump has been criticized for his lack of mention of the released prisoners, especially Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was detained for more than a year in Russia on charges that the U.S. government described as fabricated. Although Trump finally called for his release in May, during the first year of the journalist's detention, he was reluctant to speak on the issue.
The prisoner exchange included 24 people from seven countries, including the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, and Norway, against Russia and Belarus.
From those released by the Russian side, 16 prisoners were sent, including one imprisoned in Belarus. In exchange, Russia received eight individuals, including Vadim Krasikov, a murderer incarcerated in Germany, two hackers, and an alleged smuggler with ties to intelligence services.
Trump also recalled his own experience in hostage negotiations, mentioning the case of Otto Warmbier, an American student released by North Korea in 2017, whose return involved an agreement to pay 2 million dollars in medical bills, although Trump claimed that the bill was never paid.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized his close relationship with Putin, claiming that the Russian president respects him and that he would not have invaded Ukraine if he were still in office. In several recent public appearances, Trump has asserted that he would release Gershkovich if elected president again, arguing that Putin would do it "for me, but for no one else."
In October 2017, the Russian autocrat said, "It's his first presidential term, and he is gaining experience in this area. We have talked about this issue (North Korea's nuclear program). And he understands my arguments, he listens to them... I believe that a person like Trump, with his character, will never be a hostage to anyone."
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