Persons Who Lobbied Navalny's Exchange Become Known

Initially, opinions in the West were divided.

The former secretary of state Hillary Clinton lobbied the international negotiations on the exchange of Navalny in the White House, the Current Time writes with a reference to The Wall Street Journal.

Christo Grozev, a friend and associate of Navalny, had asked Clinton for help and she, according to the WSJ, agreed.

According to WSJ, Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, had been approaching German officials informally, but the government was divided. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock opposed any deal involving Vadim Krasikov, the Russian special services officer and murderer, convicted to life sentence in Germany.

The WSJ explained the need to include Krasikov in the deal by saying that Washington currently does not have people whom the Kremlin would like to receive in exchange for Americans imprisoned in Russia.

In March 2024, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz secretly discussed a possible exchange during a trip to Washington, but a final deal between the countries had not been concluded at the time of Navalny’s death, writes WSJ and notes that no official offer was made to Moscow either. According to people familiar with the situation, information about the possible deal reached the Kremlin through a private intermediary.

Seven days after Biden met Scholz, Navalny’s closest aides and his wife Yulia arrived at the global gathering of security officials in Munich, where they hoped negotiations could soon reach a breakthrough.

However, during this summit the politician’s death became known.

According to FBK, negotiations on the exchange of Navalny, Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and American Marine Paul Whelan for Krasikov were at the final stage at the time of the Russian politician’s death. Vladimir Putin said in March 2024 that he agreed to such an exchange in a conversation with a private intermediary, without specifying his name.

Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov later clarified that there was no talk of official negotiations.

According to FBK and several publications, it was Roman Abramovich who spoke with Putin about a possible exchange of Navalny for Krasikov. The agency, citing sources, claimed that Putin discussed the exchange with Abramovich several hours before Navalny’s death.

WSJ writes that journalist Tucker Carlson, who came to Moscow to interview Putin, also tried to get Gershkovich released.

He told the newspaper that he warned the Russian president's aides in advance that he planned to put pressure on him to immediately release Gershkovich. An official close to Putin said it was a “great idea” and he might agree. However, Putin made it clear in his interview that he was ready to discuss the exchange of Gershkovich for Krasikov.