and during that time cnn reporter and producer jennifer hansler, has had the opportunity that she has that she's received calls. she's been able to speak to paul on the phone from time to time expressing his frustrations hearing his voice from a russian prison on what it has been like for him as he has been enduring this for now, five years, i want to play for you some just one bit of their conversations over the years this paul whelan talking about evan gershkovich i'm sympathetic and empathetic man in his family. >> quite understand what they're going through. my family's certainly understands what they're going through. >> it's something that you just can't fathom. >> because if you're a tourist or like evan, he was just doing his job and you end up in a cage in a courtroom being told that you have to send 16 years hard labor just some of what we heard from paul whelan over the years to jennifer hansler and her amazing reporting in all of this. let's get over to kylie atwood, standing by the state department for us kylie, what details are coming in that you're picking up? are there

now to jennifer hansler in washington. tell us what we know about the u.s.'s role in israel's response to hezbollah's attacks well, jim, we know that the u.s. provided help with tracking hezbollah as attacks overnight. they did not participate in a kinetic way. they did not participate in actually launching any sort of missiles or rockets or anything if that starts. but they did provide intelligence in this way. and jim, the u.s is not backing down from its defensive posture that we've seen seen here. the secretary of defense, lloyd austin spoke a little bit ago with his israeli counterpart, yoav gallant, and he told him that the u.s. would be keeping its carrier strikes these two carrier groups in the region for some of this deterrence. now, earlier this month, they put a number of u.s. assets into the region for this show of force to try to deter any response from hezbollah, as well as iran to the killing of a hezbollah and hamas commander earlier this month they have put these forces in place to try to stop any sort of massive escalation. now, overnight we

whelan spoke to cnn's jennifer hansler, a number of times. from inside a russian prison over the years extremely maybe it's the best word to turn 54 in a russian prison. david whelan reacting to his brothers released today in a statement, quote, it's vital that he be given agency over his life. again, something the kremlin took away for so many years, wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich was the first american journalist to be arrested on spying charges in russia since the cold war. and just three weeks ago, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison after his arrest in 2023. >> we've all worked toward this day for so long, each in our own way. and it's wonderful to see it come together like this. >> kurmasheva is also on her way home. the russian america i can report are working for a us government funded news outlet, was sentenced to more than six years in prison for failing to register as a foreign agent. all three appearing in a photo together on the plane and turkey deal that made this possible was a field of diplomacy and friendshi

released wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich, and also former us marine paul whelan cnn's jennifer hansler has had extensive reporting on these arrests. she's actually been following paul whelan's case closely for years and has had extensive conversations with him. she joins us now, live jennifer, walk us through how we got here today. >> well, boris and brianna, i want to take you back a little bit on the timeline, so december 2022, the u.s. brought home brittney griner and in a prisoner swap that did not include paul whelan. and we're told from that point on, they were working feverishly to try to come up with another solution. to get paul home. evan gershkovich was then arrested in 2023 at the end of march. and this added even more urgency to these us efforts to get them home. and we are told by national security adviser jake sullivan that these were painstaking negotiations over months and months months they involved quiet diplomacy among a number of allies scouring the globe to look for people to include in this swap. and perhaps the most important element, trying to convince germany

the efforts of the mediators and prolonged the war with me as cnn state department reporter jennifer hansler, jennifer traveled in here with us secretary of state. the word from u.s. officials and from israeli officials is we're making progress. but i wonder if there's still so confident in that given what we're hearing from hamas officials tonight. >> well, there's certainly this projection of extreme optimism around this entire deal, jim, we've heard other u.s. officials say that they are in the end stages that they could even wrap up these discussions. this week on the way here, a senior administration official described this as an inflection point. they said, you know this is this is blinken's job to kind of hammer home the need to get this done and that's why these talks tomorrow going to be so high high-stakes. he's meeting with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu this meeting with the defense minister, as well as the israeli president hertzog. these conversations as you and i both know there are never easy. they're always difficult, particularly around something. so sensitive th

jim bashir, jennifer hansler, thanks so much. >> joining me now to discuss further former secretary of defense under president bill clinton, william cohen, secretary. thank you for joining tonight. you've been involved in your share of difficult negotiations. i wonder as you watch this one play out on the bad side, there is still major issues, major sticking points to get over on the good side the region arguably dodged a bullet. last night in what could have been a much larger escalation in this war between hezbollah and israel tonight, it's quiet. and i wonder if you see that as providing an opening for these talks to make some progress any time when not firing rockets and missiles at each other, it's a good sign. i think both the israelis and hezbollah decided they were going to try and attack no military sites are not civilians. and that's a good thing. had any of the missiles gone into civilian areas, and killing innocent people that could have set this off in a much more explosive way. so that's the positive side that hezbollah has said this is it for now? for now is something to

cnn's jennifer hansler has more on the situation in the region the u.s. >> is keeping a major show of force in the region, falling back and forth strikes between israel and hezbollah over the weekend. a u.s. defense official said, the u.s. provided intelligence to help israel track oncoming hezbollah attacks, but did not participate physically in those attacks. secretary of defense lloyd austin told his israeli counterpart on sunday that he would be keeping two major strike groups in the region to help deter a further war. the u.s. moved a number of assets to the region earlier this month to try to prevent to iran and its proxies from launching a retaliatory attack against israel. there are fears that such an taka could spark a wider regional war. at the same time, u.s. officials are pressing the urgency of getting a hostage and ceasefire deal across the finish line, secretary of state antony blinken warned earlier this week that this could be the last chance to get such a deal across the finish line. high level talks continued in cairo on sunday and wrapped up without an apparent res

constructive with negotiators coming from both israel and hamas, despite the flare-up cnn's jennifer hanslerme now. jennifer, what more are you learning? >> well, paula, we know that the u.s assisted in it sort of an advisory role in helping the israelis track these incoming lebanese hezbollah attacks overnight. but they did not do any sort of kinetic activity or any involvement in the actual striking back of the group now, the u.s. has put forward these two carrier strikes that have been in the region for weeks, if not months, in a really strong show of force to try to prevent any sort of broader escalation here they really do not want to see a regional war breakout, particularly as they are working to get this season it's fire and hostage deal in place notable that secretary austin told his israeli counterpart that they are going to keep these two carrier strike groups in the region to continue to try to deter iran and iranian backed proxy groups from causing a regional flare up here they are very concerned about the possibility of this happening here. >> so where does this leave the cease

i do want to go to jennifer hansler jennifer, you just traveled in with the u.s. secretary of state here listen, it's not his first time to the region and he has called this a critical inflection point in these talks. as he's arriving, is their basis for us officials optimism that they could bring the sides together for a deal well, i think that's the big question, jim, because we have seen the stakes of these talks go up i've been part of that is because of the optimism around this that the u.s. >> officials have put on this bridging proposal. we have heard a senior administration officials say they are in the end state they even voiced optimism that things could be settled. this week, we were told on the way here by another senior administration official that, you know, this is his move to try to bring this across the finish line to emphasize the need to get this deal done, we have not heard the same level of optimism from the key parties in the deal. that is real and hamas tomorrow, secretary of state antony blinken will be meeting with prime minister netanyahu

jim certainly different levels of urgency. >> jennifer hansler issues in washington. i wonder how u.s. officials years they're speaking with are describing the u.s. role in this is rarely attack and defense frankly, because there enormous amount of u.s. military resources right now the region well, jim, the u.s. >> role is seen as being as supportive one we've heard from a u.s. defense official saying that they helped israel track incoming hezbollah attacks overnight, but they did not participate in any sort of kinetic way. now, the big thing that happened here, jim, is that they are keeping these two carrier strike groups in the region as part of a deterrence effort to stop any further attacks from hezbollah or iran. we saw earlier this month, the u.s ordered a massive number of assets to the region as part of that deterrence effort to try to dissuade tehran or hezbollah from making any severe moves that could trigger a broader regional war. if now for the time being, as you were saying, we have stepped back from the brink, it seems but the u.s. clearly doesn't think

and he was essentially left behind our colleague jennifer hansler spoke to him repeatedly and he expressed his sadness at not being exchanged, not being freed, but at the same time, he expressed his happiness that others got to, got to be releasing, got to go home. trevor reed said upon his release that he felt bad that paul whelan we're still in captivity and that he would continue to work for his release. so we're so happy for all of these prisoners who were released today. but i'm thinking specifically of paul whelan who has had such an an arduous and horrific ordeal over the past, almost six years. >> they were names being shouted out from some of the press about some who have been left behind as well. and there has been criticism of, or at least concern for those who still remain in particular, someone named marc fogel so there are he's another american he was convicted of drug smuggling he was found to have some 17 grams, i believe, of cannabis. >> so almost half an ounce and he is not someone who the u.s considers wrongfully detained, which is a very it's a legal term and it's very

experts, jennifer hansler, jill doherty in jim sciutto. this is a remarkable moment jim, not just in the complexity of the deal which i can't even fathom trying to get this many countries on this meeting everything, even how to get the planes there seems complicated to me but also the fact that the deal could happen at all, that underscores a shift in the administration's policy and what they are willing to do to try and free hostages that before 2021 wasn't a thing that you you could see. >> i think you're right and also these two powers, which are very much in conflict, russia and the u.s. in multiple, on multiple fronts around the world. certainly in ukraine, but in the cyber space, in russia, constantly pushing the limits of murder on european soil, right? a whole host of ways to undermine the u.s. always which are escalating that you can still have conversations like this, which is, which is evocative of the cold war. frankly, when you had again the ussr in the us very much at loggerheads, but still able to negotiate deals like this.

for and i shared that i worked for cnn and he immediately told me to add to tell my colleague, jennifer hansler. >> thank you. and of course, jen covers the state department for cnn and he said that he would just call her and that her reporting has just made such a huge difference. and of course, huge kudos to gen. for all of those amazing reports that she did while he was in detention. and of course, paula, this is just a reminder of how important impactful journalism is what does the flora rosa flores thank you and this was the scene inside the newsroom at the wall street journal word evan gershkovich, of course works. this was as they got the news of his freedom you're hearing there cheers and jubilation from his fellow journalists who work so hard telling his story now that can finally celebrate. and with me now, wall street journal assistant editor paul beckett paul, congratulations. evan is now home. what was it like in that newsroom when you heard that he was free just an extraordinary moment. >> we had been on tenterhooks for hours up to that point and we wanted to make sure that his fe

whelan spoke to cnn's jennifer hansler, a number of times from inside a russian prison over the yearsremely maybe it's the best word to turn 54. and a russian prison. >> david whelan reacting to his brothers released in a statement, quote, it's vital that he be given agency over his life. again, something the kremlin took away for so many years, wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich was the first eric and journalist to be arrested on spying charges in russia since the cold war. and just three weeks ago, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison after his arrest in 2023. >> we've all worked toward this day for so long, each in our own way and it's wonderful to see it come together like this. >> kurmasheva is also on her way home. the russian american reporter working for a us government funded news outlet, was sentenced to more than six years in prison for failing to register as a foreign agent. all three appearing in a photo together on the plane and turkey phil it made this possible was a feat of diplomacy. and friendship. >> the released americans speaking with they're relieved

government has vehemently denied today excuse me today was very good day whelan spoke to cnn's jennifer hanslertimes from inside a russian prison over the years extremely maybe it's. >> the best word to turn 54 in a russian prison. >> david whelan reacting to his brothers released in a statement, quote, it's vital that he be given agency over his life. again something the kremlin took away for so many years wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich was the first american journalist to be arrested on spying charges in russia since the cold war. and just three weeks ago, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison after his arrest in 2023. >> we've all worked toward this day for so long, each in our own way and it's, it's wonderful to see it come together like this. >> kurmasheva is also on her way home. the russian american reporter working for a us government funded news outlet, was sentenced to more than six years in prison for failing to register as a foreign agent. all three appearing in a photo together on the plane in turkey still it, made this possible was a feat of diplomacy. and friendsh

he has called our colleague jennifer hansler multiple times from the penal colony where he is to talk about his emotions and how challenging it has been for him to effectively ride this wave of emotions sometimes he feels like the u.s. government is working on his behalf. sometimes he felt like they weren't doing enough and was pleading with them to do more. now, when it comes to what the state department has said about the status of these ongoing efforts but recently, they haven't said much. and so it was late last year that the secretary of state, antony blinken, called on russia to accept a deal that the united states had put on the table for them as far as we knew, right? russia had rejected the proposal that the u.s. put on the table for them that was after brittney griner was released from russia last year, but since then and it's now been eight months, we haven't gotten a sudden an update from us officials in terms of what the back-and-forth between us and russia has looked like. one of the factors that we know has been ongoing going here is that the united states didn't really

you mentioned jen hansler, and i want to bring her in now jennifer hansler, our state department reporternifer, you have done such incredible reporting and you are a person and i think it just can't under i want to i want to just make sure when understands paul whelan, who has been serving in a maximum security penal colony, often in solitary confinement for years, has made calls. he's called, you. all right. so i know that you have to have received this. you understand better than anyone what is going on? there what are you learning well, obviously erin, this is a huge moment for whelan and for his family. >> gershkovich and his family, particularly for whelan because this brings to an end a 5.5 year long nightmare for him. i have spoken to him about a dozen times over the course of his detainment there in russia. and he has describing the conditions there as being deplorable. he has described working in a factory that he equates to a sweatshop, but he also has expressed increasing optimism about the prospects for getting him home in the past couple of calls, he has said he is confident

imprisonment in my view, you know, quite a new heard that for instance, and paul whelan speaking to our jennifer hansler through the many months and years that he was in detention. the conditions in these prisons are deliberately nasty the food quality is deliberately nasty. this is all part of the way to pressure and to drain folks held in detention. i want to ask you, alex, just for more details about the russians who were released here, because this speaks to what is the the sad side. one might call it a sad necessity to exchanges like this. that is, that is that bad, and people are on the other side of the exchange. so tell us about the russians go, going free tonight. so krasikov was the big fish. he was the guy who putin really wanted the former fsb colonel. there are eight russians who are going home from a variety of different countries. three of them are coming from the united states. there then for more of what we call illegals, these are essentially spies living undercover. they were in norway, slovenia, and poland. one of them was the couple in slovenia and then you have these three in the u

course of the last few years here, because he has made phone calls from prison to our colleague, jennifer hansler to tell her what kind of emotions he's been going through, particularly as there were other prisoner exchanges where he was left behind, other americans left russia and he was left behind. that was tremendously challenging for him. so now we'll watch and see what the next steps look like for him in sharing that story, we've got a statement just in the last few minutes, hear from the secretary of state who who said that there are three americans who are now on their way home to the united states from russia, of course, that's paul whelan, evan gershkovich, and alsu kurmasheva. and then there's one green card holder. we've been talking about him vladimir kara murza, who is a prominent kremlin critic who had been very vocally against the kremlin for years. and he's also been freed as part of this prisoner exchange. and the secretary of state spoke about the extraordinary effort on behalf of the government state department nsc cia that came to the point where they are able to secure the r

jennifer hansler, i'm pamela brown in the situation room. erin burnett >> burnett outfront starts right now you'll hear how a cocktail napkin set this entire deal into motion. >> and trunk tripling down on attacking harris and questioning her race. >> charlemagne tha god has something to say about that. he's my guest. let's go outfront and good evening. >> i'm erin burnett outfront tonight. the breaking news countdown to touchdown right now, we are monitoring a private plane that as i speak, is flying over the atlantic, the amid atlantic approaching the united states at this very moment. wall street journal reporter evan gershkovich, former us marine paul whelan and russian-american journalist alsu kurmasheva are on that private plane after the, biggest prisoner swap since the end of the cold war. and we'll show you live pictures from joint base andrews that is where that private plane is going to be landing within the next few hours, president biden and vice president kamala harris will be there to greet them at joint base andrews when they

and state department reporter jennifer hansler. she's back in washington, jeremy, i do want to begin with you. >> tell us how the idf and israeli leaders are describing this operation. >> are they saying it was a success? >> they are not jim and in fact, they are saying that hezbollah failed to strike any military base either in central israel or in northern israel, which raises questions about what we could see from hezbollah after hezbollah's leader indicated that the success or the failure of this this operation would determine whether or not additional strikes would come certainly what we witnessed today, jim was one of the most intense barrages of fire from hezbollah, one of the most intense israeli strikes in southern lebanon since the beginning of this war. it all began around 4:00 a.m. this morning with about 100 israeli fire fighter jets began carrying out attacks on dozens of hezbollah rocket launcher sites in southern lebanon at around five-thirty am, rocket sirens began sounding across northern israel as a barrage of hu