Scholz comments on Germany's decision to exchange convicted Russian murderer

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz personally met a plane with prisoners released from Russia at the Cologne Bonn airport on the evening of 1 August, defending the decision to exchange convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov. Source: Spiegel  Details: A private plane with 13 released prisoners landed late on the evening of 1 August.

The chancellor interrupted his summer holiday to meet them.

Scholz noted that many of the prisoners had feared for their health and lives, so it was important that "we made this protection possible for them here." Commenting on the exchange of Vadim Krasikov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Chechen commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin, Scholz said that the decision was not an easy one. Quote: "It was not easy for anyone to decide to deport a murderer sentenced to life in prison after several years in prison."  

More details: The difficult decision regarding Krasikov was taken jointly by the parliamentary coalition after careful discussion and consideration.

Opposition leader Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary faction, was informed at an early stage and, as Scholz said, agreed with the decision. After meeting with the released prisoners, Scholz called the exchange correct: "And if you had any doubts, you will lose them after talking to those who are now free." Michael Roth, a spokesman for the Social Democrats' foreign policy direction, commented that sometimes you have to "make a deal with the devil for the sake of humanity". 

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann acknowledged that painful concessions had to be made for the sake of prisoners' freedom. He said that Krasikov was not pardoned, but deported.  "As the Minister of Justice, I am responsible for one particularly bitter concession," Buschmann said.

A total of 26 prisoners were exchanged in an unprecedented operation involving the Turkish intelligence service MIT.  In exchange for the release of political prisoners and Kremlin critics, Germany, the United States and partner countries released a convicted murderer and prisoners suspected of spying for Russia. US President Joe Biden acknowledged that Germany had to make significant concessions to achieve the prisoner exchange.

Scholz said the decision strengthened German-American friendship.

Background:

• Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in February in prison, was supposed to be part of the agreement between the West and Russia on the exchange.
• The release of Krasikov in Germany disappointed the German prosecutor's office.

  The German government acknowledged that the decision was not easy.

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