Latest news with #KseniaKarelina
Arab News
27-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Kremlin says Trump criticism won't hit US-Russia prisoner swap plans
MOSCOW: The Kremlin said Tuesday that Donald Trump's criticism of Vladimir Putin will not affect plans for a US-Russia prisoner exchange that the two presidents discussed in a call last week. Trump called Putin 'crazy' over the weekend after Russia pummelled Ukraine with its largest drone attack since the start of its full-scale offensive, launched in February 2022. The Kremlin downplayed the spat when asked whether the US leader's comments could disrupt plans for a nine-for-nine prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. 'It is clear that the Russian and American sides should not and can not agree on everything. There will always be certain disagreements,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 'But there is political will to implement the agreements that have been reached, and the work continues. We highly value this mutual willingness,' he added. Following a two-hour call between Putin and Trump last week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the pair had discussed 'swapping nine people for nine people' — without giving any details on which prisoners. There have been several rounds of prisoner exchanges between Washington and Moscow since Trump returned to the White House in January. Washington has accused Moscow of 'hostage taking' — arresting US citizens on baseless charges in a bid to use them as pawns to secure the release of Russians behind bars in the West. In the latest swap last month, dual US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina was released from a Russian jail — where she was serving 12 years on treason charges after donating around $50 to a Ukrainian charity. In exchange the United States freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen accused of breaking sanctions by trying to export US-made electronics to Russian military companies.
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump, Putin discussed possible prisoner swap involving 9 Americans: report
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a possible prisoner swap involving nine Americans during their phone call this week, The Associated Press reported. Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov, who previously served as Russian ambassador to the U.S., made the announcement after Trump and Putin spoke for two hours Monday. Putin and Trump talked about a Russia-U.S. prisoner exchange, which Ushakov said was "in the works" and envisioned Moscow and Washington releasing nine people each. He did not offer any other details. The State Department did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The development comes following the release of Russian American Ksenia Karelina, who was freed from Russia in April after being detained for more than a year. Both Trump and Putin described the call on Monday in a positive light, with the Kremlin chief saying it was "frank" and "useful," but it is not immediately clear what results were achieved. Trump took to social media to praise the call as having gone "very well" and said, "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War." Putin, in a statement after the call, also noted that "a ceasefire with Ukraine is possible" but noted that "Russia and Ukraine must find compromises that suit both sides."
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump meets with freed Russian American who was detained abroad for over a year
Russian American Ksenia Karelina, who was released last month after being detained in Russia for more than a year, met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. "It's a great honor," the president said as he shook Karelina's hand. Karelina's release from Russia last month was part of a prisoner swap, reports note. Trump Says He Could 'Walk Away' From Russia-ukraine Talks, Cites 'Tremendous Hatred' On Both Sides Ksenia Karelina and her boyfriend, South African boxer Chris van Heerden, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, following Karelina's release from Russia on April 10, 2025, and President Donald Trump. "President Trump was proud to welcome home Ksenia Karelina, who spent 15 months in Russian captivity. He has secured the release of nearly 50 Americans detained abroad because America is strong again under his leadership," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted in a post on X that the Trump administration is dedicated to securing the release of all Americans being detained in foreign countries. Read On The Fox News App Russian American Ballerina Ksenia Karelina Has Message For Trump After Release From Russia "Honored to join @POTUS at the @WhiteHouse today to welcome Ksenia Karelina. The Trump Administration is committed to bringing home every single American who is wrongfully detained around the world," Rubio noted in a tweet on Monday. Karelina's boyfriend Chris van Heerden, who reports have also referred to as her fiancé, was also present at the meeting. "Today was an unreal moment meeting and shaking hands with the 45th & 47th Presidents of the United States @potus in the Oval Office of the White House. Words cannot express how proud I am of Ksenia," van Heerden noted in a post on X, adding, "NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP." Former Hostage Thanks Trump Upon Release After Years Of Detention In Kuwait Last month van Heerden tweeted the link to a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Karelina – so far a bit more than $12,000 has been donated. Original article source: Trump meets with freed Russian American who was detained abroad for over a year
Fox News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump meets with freed Russian American who was detained abroad for over a year
Russian American Ksenia Karelina, who was released last month after being detained in Russia for more than a year, met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. "It's a great honor," the president said as he shook Karelina's hand. Karelina's release from Russia last month was part of a prisoner swap, reports note. TRUMP SAYS HE COULD 'WALK AWAY' FROM RUSSIA-UKRAINE TALKS, CITES 'TREMENDOUS HATRED' ON BOTH SIDES "President Trump was proud to welcome home Ksenia Karelina, who spent 15 months in Russian captivity. He has secured the release of nearly 50 Americans detained abroad because America is strong again under his leadership," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted in a post on X that the Trump administration is dedicated to securing the release of all Americans being detained in foreign countries. RUSSIAN AMERICAN BALLERINA KSENIA KARELINA HAS MESSAGE FOR TRUMP AFTER RELEASE FROM RUSSIA "Honored to join @POTUS at the @WhiteHouse today to welcome Ksenia Karelina. The Trump Administration is committed to bringing home every single American who is wrongfully detained around the world," Rubio noted in a tweet on Monday. Karelina's boyfriend Chris van Heerden, who reports have also referred to as her fiancé, was also present at the meeting. "Today was an unreal moment meeting and shaking hands with the 45th & 47th Presidents of the United States @potus in the Oval Office of the White House. Words cannot express how proud I am of Ksenia," van Heerden noted in a post on X, adding, "NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP." FORMER HOSTAGE THANKS TRUMP UPON RELEASE AFTER YEARS OF DETENTION IN KUWAIT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Last month van Heerden tweeted the link to a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Karelina – so far a bit more than $12,000 has been donated.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump to meet with American ballerina who was held in Russian prison for 15 months
President Donald Trump was set Monday to meet Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American ballerina and esthetician who was held in a Russian prison for over a year. Karelina, 34, was born in Russia and immigrated to the U.S. more than 10 years ago, building a life in Los Angeles as an esthetician at a spa and obtaining citizenship in 2021. But Karelina was arrested in January 2024 while visiting her parents and sister in the southern Russian city of Yekaterinburg. Now, NBC News reports Trump will meet with her Monday after his administration secured her release. Karelina was accused of treason after she donated $51 from her U.S. bank account to a charity that sends aid to Ukraine on February 24, 2022 — the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion into the country. Russia's Federal Security Service issued a statement at the time claiming that Karelina had been 'proactively collecting funds... which were subsequently used to purchase tactical medical items, equipment, means of destruction and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces.' Following Karelina's arrest, the charity she donated to released a statement condemning her arrest and calling on the US government 'to continue to do everything in its power to demand that President Putin release all those unjustly detained by Russia and to hold Russia's political and military leadership accountable for their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.' In August, she was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony for 'high treason.' Russian authorities claimed she 'fully admitted her guilt.' Karelina was released last month and safely returned to the U.S. The 34-year-old was freed as part of a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, negotiated by the CIA and senior Russian intelligence officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned Karelina before the swap. 'Today, the United States welcomes the return of American-Russian ballerina Ksenia Karelina who was sentenced by a Russian court to a penal colony for 12 years after authorities discovered she had donated to a Ukrainian charity,' Mike Waltz said last month while serving as National Security Adviser. 'President Trump and his administration continue to work around the clock to ensure Americans detained abroad are returned home to their families,' he added. Her release came after Russian authorities released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in August during a historic prisoner swap. 'They're out of Russia. Earlier today, they were flown to Turkey, and soon there'll be wheels up on their way home to see their families,' President Joe Biden said at the time. 'This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. It's relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who have been praying for this day for a long time.' However, around ten Americans remain in Russian prisons, Reuters reports. Among them is Stephen James Hubbard, a 73-year-old accused of serving as a mercenary for Ukraine. He was sentenced to more than six years in prison after Russian officials claimed he pleaded guilty. The State Department declared Hubbard 'wrongfully detained,' meaning the U.S. can now negotiate for his release. He's believed to be the only American still in Russian custody with this designation, Reuters reports.
