In a stunning turn of global diplomacy, Thursday witnessed the liberation of two dozen individuals, including Americans, from Russian jails. This momentous prisoner swap, the largest since the Cold War, marked the end of a harrowing ordeal for many. US President Joe Biden announced the release of individuals like Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, Russian-American journalist Alsu Keva, and British-Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza. This diplomatic coup was a testament to the power of friendship and negotiation.