Washington nonetheless has thanked Saudi Arabia for its role facilitating prisoner exchanges with Russia. U.S. and Russian intelligence officials settled on Istanbul to take the job. Fidan responded that Turkey would help—but said a secluded part of the airport in the capital, Ankara, would be better. It arrived minutes after the Russian jet. Ambassador Carstens, the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, turned and walked out of the jet without another word.

Source: Wall Street Journal December 19, 2023 10:40 UTC