GOP concerns that last week’s prisoner exchange will prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to capture more Americans have been dismissed by a leading hostage negotiator. Roger Carstens, the special envoy for hostage affairs appointed by former President Trump in 2020, rejected these claims on Monday, citing a lack of supporting evidence from his own experience.
Carstens remarked, “The notion doesn’t hold up. At one point, I managed 54 cases, and now I have just over 20. We’ve made tough decisions, trading dangerous individuals to secure the release of innocent people.” Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper, he added, “You might expect that my case numbers would increase, but they are decreasing.”
Roger Carstens Dismisses GOP Fears of Increased American Captures Following Prisoner Exchange with Russia
He further explained, “The data suggests that the idea of escalating risks is inaccurate. When we make challenging choices and the president decides to facilitate a trade, the trend shows a reduction in cases rather than an increase.”
The recent prisoner exchange, the largest since the Cold War, saw 16 individuals, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, released in return for eight Russian nationals imprisoned in the U.S. and Europe.
The swap was largely dependent on Germany’s decision to release Vadim Krasikov, a Russian assassin convicted of murder, sparking criticism from Republicans who feared it might embolden Putin.
Carstens acknowledged the inherent risks in such negotiations. “Predicting Putin’s future actions is challenging. We hope for the best and try to implement measures to ensure compliance, but risks are always involved,” he stated.
The White House has minimized the potential impact of the exchange on broader U.S.-Russia relations and ongoing global security issues, particularly the conflict in Ukraine. National security adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized that while there were extensive discussions with Russian officials, there was no direct interaction between President Biden and Putin regarding the swap.
