Watch Biden’s speech on the U.S.-Russia prisoner swap with Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan

Whelan’s brother thanked President Biden and others for releasing his family member after “Paul was held hostage for 2,043 days.”

“Paul Whelan is free. Our family is grateful to the United States government for making Paul’s freedom a reality. We would like to thank President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and National Security Advisor Sullivan for their engagement with the Russian Federation to create an environment in which Paul’s freedom was possible,” David Whelan said in a statement today.

He then thanked members of Congress and people who supported his brother’s release “from all over the world.”

“We cannot thank the many Americans and others who have reached out to Paul from afar, writing letters and donating to his prison GoFundMe account, enough to thank them. “We are grateful for the help that has come from all over the world, as has Paul’s extended family.”

David Whelan also said that “we have been discouraged from speaking out about Paul’s case.”

“But we believe that media attention was a key factor in securing Paul’s freedom,” he said. “Those early years were difficult, as the Trump administration ignored Paul’s wrongful detention, and it was the media attention that helped eventually create critical mass and awareness within the U.S. government.”

“Paul Whelan is no longer in a Russian labor colony, but he is not at home,” his brother said. “While Paul was wrongly imprisoned in Russia, he lost his home. He lost his job. We are not sure how someone overcomes those losses and reintegrates into society after being held hostage.”

David Whelen ended his statement by saying, “We are grateful to everyone for the efforts you have made to help Paul during his absence,” and asked for space and privacy for his brother.