The former Russian-American baylarina, liberated by Moscow, arrived in the United States late on Thursday evening, under the exchanging of prisoners, completed, since the two countries continue to repair their relations.
Karelina was released at the beginning of the day in exchange for the Russian-German citizen Arthur Petrov, who was arrested in the United States accused of smuggling of electronic products.
Karelina was arrested in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in February last year and convicted for the betrayal after a donation of about 47 euros for a charity organization that helps Ukraine.
“They freed the young dancer, and she is now free, which was good. Therefore, we thank, ”said US President Donald Trump at a meeting of his office on Thursday.
Liberation followed conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump added.
FSB, who said that Putin forgave Karelina before the exchange, released a video that showed that she was accompanied on a plane somewhere in Russia.
Later, the video showed that it seemed that it was a place for exchange at the Abu -Dabi airport when Petrov left the plane and shook Russian employees on the highway.
Karelin was one of the victims of the growing number of Americans detained in Russia in recent years, when the tension between Moscow and Washington increased from the Kremlin’s complete war in Ukraine.
Its release is the last in a series of exchanges of prisoners at a high level, which Russia and the United States have made over the past three years, and the second since Trump has taken office and changed Washington’s policy to isolate Russia in order to put an end to Ukraine in the fourth year.
“Exchange shows the importance of maintaining the lines of communication with Russia, despite the deep problems in our bilateral relations,” the CIA said.
Mike Waltz said in the White House consultant in X: “President Trump and his administration continue to work without stopping that the Americans arrest abroad returning to their families.”
Nevertheless, Russian and American diplomats met in Istanbul for the second round of talk about the standardization of embassies after the first meeting in February.
The State Department of the United States said that the delegations “exchanged notes to complete the understanding to ensure the stability of the diplomatic bank for Russian and American bilateral missions.”
The United States confirmed its concern about the Russian ban on hiring local personnel, “the main obstacle to maintaining stable and stable levels at the US Embassy in Moscow.”