Russia Eyes Continued Negotiations with US on Prisoner Swaps Following Recent Exchange

Officials in Moscow intend to engage in additional discussions regarding prisoner swaps with the United States, following a recent exchange that took place earlier this week, as stated by the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) in a report to state media on Friday.

«Conversations with the new U.S. administration will undoubtedly carry on across various sectors, including the matter you mentioned,» SVR Director Sergei Naryshkin expressed to journalists when queried about the prospects of future exchanges.

On Thursday, Russia released Ksenia Karelina, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Russia, in return for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian national who was apprehended in Cyprus in 2023 at the behest of American authorities for allegedly shipping sensitive U.S.-manufactured microelectronics to Russia.

The CIA was reportedly instrumental in facilitating the exchange on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal, which initially reported the story. CIA Director John Ratcliffe is said to have led negotiations with FSB Chief Alexander Bortnikov and was present at the Abu Dhabi airport for the transition.

Ratcliffe had allegedly engaged in multiple discussions with Naryshkin since assuming the role of CIA director under the Trump administration, as reported by WSJ.

Naryshkin’s remarks on Friday coincided with the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Russia for discussions with President Vladimir Putin.

In February, Witkoff participated in talks aimed at securing the release of Marc Fogel, an American educator imprisoned in Russia on drug-related charges, in exchange for Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik. The Trump administration celebrated Fogel’s release as a significant advancement in diplomatic relations.