Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich's release won't mean much for Russia, US relations

The United States and Russia exchanged 24 prisoners Thursday at a moment of terrible tension between the two rivals. After months of ongoing talks, with more than six countries involved in the negotiations, three American citizens and one American green-card holder have been freed in Turkey in the largest prisoner swap since the end of the Cold War.

Freeing the four residents, including cause célèbres such as Pulitzer Prize winner Vladimir Kara-Murza, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan will add heft to Joe Biden’s record of foreign policy accomplishments as president.