Navigating the Release of Detained Americans

It's after midnight in Texas. On a military base tarmac, a plane lands. The door opens and one American after another steps out into the summer night. Their names are Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, and Alsu Kurmasheva.

A landmark prisoner exchange with Russia on Aug. 1 released the three Americans, as well as American green card holder Vladimir Kara-Murza. The effort involved multiple countries and months of negotiations.

We discuss what we know about how the U.S. brokered this deal with Russia. We discuss why the risk of being detained by hostile governments has increased.

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