Steve Rosenberg: How the Ground Was Set for Russia’s Prisoner Swap

“This is a matter best resolved in silence.”

It’s the phrase of choice for Russian officials when asked to comment on possible East-West prisoner swaps. Words we’ve been hearing for months.

This is how the Kremlin likes it: closing deals behind closed doors, “hostage diplomacy” away from the media glare. Intelligence service talks to intelligence service; government to government.

Until Moscow gets what – or rather who – it wants.

But despite the “silence” there were signals. Something was moving.

In an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson last February, Vladimir Putin spoke about Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was arrested in Russia and charged with espionage.

“I do not rule out that Mr. Gershkovich may return to his homeland,” Mr. Putin said. “We want the American intelligence services to consider how they can contribute to achieving the goals our intelligence services are pursuing.”

It was a very public and not-so-subtle hint: Moscow is open for business.

The Kremlin leader did not mention any names. But he made it clear who Russia wanted in exchange: Vadim Krasikov, a suspected Russian agent who was serving a life sentence for murder – not in America, but in Germany.

Days later, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in a remote Arctic penal colony. There were rumors that before his death, talks had been underway to swap Mr. Navalny, Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, all imprisoned in Russia, for Vadim Krasikov in Germany.

Have the German authorities entered into negotiations on an exchange of prisoners?