“Their brutal ordeal is over,” the US president said in a speech, referring to the mass prisoner exchange between the US and Russia that was reached today, Thursday.

As Joe Biden said “their families and I were able to talk to them on the phone from the Oval Office. They have left Russia,” and noted that it is an “incredible relief” for the families.

“The agreement that made it possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship,” he said, adding that today it was understood why one needs to have friends in this world and that “agreements make us safer.”

“Allies made bold and brave decisions as part of this agreement,” the US president said.

At the same time, he clarified that he does not need to speak with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

The US president in his announcement earlier referred to a “diplomatic feat” and a “historic exchange”, the “largest exchange of prisoners since the end of the Cold War”, as the White House described it.

“The release agreement was a diplomatic feat,” stressed Joe Biden, confirming that three US citizens and one US permanent resident are among the 16 people freed by Russia, including five Germans and seven Russians.

The US and four allies have reached a deal with Russia on a prisoner swap that includes the release of 16 people, including US journalist Evan Gershkowitz and former US Marine Paul Whelan, the White House has confirmed.

Negotiated in top secret and lasting more than a year, the agreement represents a major achievement for the parties and will be presented by US administration Joe Biden as a foreign policy success, just months before the US presidential election.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan thanked Turkey for providing critical logistical support to the prisoner exchange.