President Joe Biden celebrated the end of the ‘brutal ordeal’ for Americans ‘imprisoned unjustly’ inside Russia as he announced a complex prisoner swap and then led a rendition of ‘happy birthday’ to the teen daughter of a freed prisoner.
Biden made a surprise appearance inside the State Dining Room at the White House hours after the historic deal that freed American ex-Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
All were held inside Russia, Whelan since 2018, for ‘no legitimate reason whatsoever – none,’ Biden said. ‘And now they’re brutal ordeal is over and they’re free.
The president appeared with family members of freed Americans as he announced the intricate swap that released 24 prisoners and involved seven countries.
Biden, who hasn’t been seen publicly since early Tuesday, hailed the ‘feat of diplomacy’ and friendship involving multiple nations. In one awkward moment, he led the room in a round of ‘Happy Birthday’ for Miriam Butorin, the 13-year old daughter of Alsu Kurmasheva, a freed Russian-American journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Biden interrupted his remarks to bring Butorin in close, then encouraged people to join in singing, which attendees did, calling it a Biden family tradition.
It was creepy.