16 OCTOBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL telework arrangement based on performance. Over the past year, USAID updated its Telework and Remote Work Program policy in ADS Chapter 405; required new telework agreements from its Washington, D.C., workforce; increased inperson presence to three days per week; and updated its Hours of Duty Policy to support work-life balance through the “Maxiflex” schedule. OMB emphasized that despite these varying strategies, most federal employees (about 56 percent) are in positions that necessitate full-time, in-person work. The agency expects continued adjustments to telework and office policies as offices refine their approaches to best meet their operational needs and ensure mission delivery. The release of the OMB report comes amid ongoing debates over federal telework policies. House Republicans have been pushing for a reduction in remote work arrangements, but their efforts have faced significant resistance from labor unions and political opposition, leading to limited legislative progress. U.S. and Russia Complete Largest Post-Soviet Prisoner Swap On Aug. 1, the United States and Russia carried out the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War, freeing 24 individuals in a high-stakes diplomatic deal. Among those released by Russia were Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been detained on so-called espionage charges since 2023, and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive held since 2018 on similar charges. Also freed was Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist at Radio Free Europe with dual U.S.-Russia citizenship who had been convicted of spreading false information about the Russian military. The Americans were greeted at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who welcomed them home alongside their families. The emotional reunion marked the culmination of months of complex negotiations between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. The swap took place despite the strained U.S.-Russia relations following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The negotiations, which reportedly included Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny until his death in February 2024, ultimately led to the release of a mix of journalists, political dissidents, and others. In exchange, Russia secured the return of several individuals, including Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 murder of a Chechen rebel in Berlin—a killing widely believed to have been ordered by Moscow’s security services. Other Russians released included alleged sleeper agents detained in Slovenia and convicted criminals in the U.S., such as Roman Seleznev, a notorious computer hacker, and Vadim Konoshchenok, accused of smuggling U.S.-made electronics and ammunition into Russia. The exchange involved six countries releasing prisoners, with Türkiye hosting the swap in Ankara. While Biden hailed the exchange as a significant diplomatic achievement, the deal also revealed the inherent imbalances in such negotiations. The U.S. and its allies released individuals convicted of serious crimes, while those freed by Russia were largely seen as political prisoners or individuals held on trumped-up charges by the Russian legal system. Despite the successful release of Gershkovich, Whelan, and Kurmasheva, several Americans remain in Russian custody. Among them are Marc Fogel, who taught the children of diplomats at the Anglo-American School of Moscow until his arrest on drug charges, and Michael Travis Leake, a musician convicted on similar charges. The Biden administration has vowed to intensify efforts to secure their release. The swap, while celebrated, has sparked debate over whether such deals encourage future detentions by adversarial nations. Critics argue that these exchanges may provide leverage to hostile governments, while proponents maintain that the priority must always be on bringing detained Americans home. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement: “I am thrilled Evan, Paul, Alsu, Vladimir, and many others who have been illegally held by Putin’s regime are finally coming home to their families. But I remain concerned that continuing to trade innocent Americans for actual Russian criminals held in the U.S. and elsewhere sends a dangerous message to Putin that only encourages further hostage taking by his regime.” In a symbolic gesture during the reunion at Joint Base Andrews, President Biden gave Paul Whelan the American flag pin from his lapel. n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Mark Parkhomenko.
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