(WXYZ) — The brother of Paul Whelan, the metro Detroit native who was freed by Russia on Thursday after more than five years in prison, spoke to ABC News.
Paul was part of the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War involving several countries. Others freed include Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Watch David's interview in the video below
David said they learned relatively late this morning when they learned that the exchange was successful.
He said despite the speculation overnight, the fact that Paul hadn't been part of two previous releases, he didn't allow himself to believe it was going to happen until the official announcement.
"We're overjoyed, and hope to actually see him soon," David said.
Paul, who lived in Novi, was arrested in 2018 and convicted in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
"I think all of us who have been through this experience would give almost anything for our loved one to be released from being held hostage or a wrongful detention," David said. "I think the difficulty it poses is probably for the next family, the next American detained by Russia because this was a very complicated arrangement involving many countries."
President Joe Biden said the exchange was a massive feat at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“Deals like this one come with tough calls,” Biden said. “There’s nothing that matters more to me than protecting Americans at home and abroad.”
Watch more from President Joe Biden's announcement below
All told, seven nations participated in the deal, which was executed in Ankara in the final months of his administration and during the course of a presidential race upended by his decision not to seek reelection.
Biden placed securing the release of Americans held wrongfully overseas at the top of his foreign policy agenda for the six months before he leaves office. In an Oval Office address discussing his decision to drop his bid for a second term, Biden said, “We’re also working around the clock to bring home Americans being unjustly detained all around the world.”
