(CNN) –– Russia released Trevor Reed, a US citizen and former Marine who had been under arrest in that country since 2019, on Wednesday in exchange for a Russian detained in the United States. Moments after Moscow announced the release, US President Joe Biden confirmed the news, saying he had informed Reed’s family.
“Today we welcome home Trevor Reed and celebrate his return to the family who missed him so much. Trevor, a former US Marine, is free from Russian detention,” the president said in a statement. He added: “I heard from the voices of Trevor’s parents how much they worried about his health and missed his presence. And I was pleased to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor’s freedom.”
“Our family has lived through a nightmare. Today, our prayers were answered and Trevor is safe and sound on his way back to America.” express Reed’s family in a statement.
Reed’s release is part of an exchange for Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko, detained in the US, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova initially reported on her official Telegram channel.
Why was Trevor Reed arrested in Russia?
Reed was sentenced to 9 years in prison in July 2020 for endangering the “life and health” of Russian police officers in an altercation. Reed and his family denied the charges against him.
Concerns about his health have increased in recent weeks. So her parents staged a protest outside the White House last month to raise awareness about her son’s case. Biden later met with the parents to discuss efforts to bring Reed home.
In June 2021, during his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Biden said he had discussed the cases of two Americans, including Reed detained in Russia. “I raised the case of two unjustly imprisoned American citizens, Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed,” Biden said during a news conference after the summit in Geneva.
Paul Whelan, another American detained in Russia
Trevor Reed’s release also puts the spotlight back on the case of American ex-Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained in a Moscow hotel in December 2018. Whelan was arrested on espionage charges, charges he has denied. steadily and vehemently.
In his Wednesday statement on Reed, Biden said his government “will not stop” until Whelan is home.
News in development.