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How The US Handles The Release Of Americans Held Abroad : 1A 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.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

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How The US Handles The Release Of Americans Held Abroad

How The US Handles The Release Of Americans Held Abroad

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Evan Gershkovich greets his mother Ella Milman after he arrived back in the United States as U.S. President Joe Biden looks at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Evan Gershkovich greets his mother Ella Milman after he arrived back in the United States as U.S. President Joe Biden looks at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

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.

What do we know about how the U.S. brokered this deal with Russia?

What does it tell us about how to secure the release of Americans held abroad? And why has the risk of being detained by hostile governments increased?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.