Steve Rosenberg
BBC Russia editor

This is the largest East-West prisoner exchange since the Cold War.

Western governments will welcome the release of foreigners, as well as freedom for some of Russia’s most prominent political prisoners.

Moscow will celebrate the return of its agents.

Both sides will claim it’s a good deal.

But if Russia concludes, as it has done in the past, that "hostage diplomacy" works, then worryingly, this is unlikely to be the last time that prisoners here – both foreigners and Russians – are used as bargaining chips.

The deal frees 24 prisoners from seven countries - three of whom have now returned to the US.

This is "unprecedented" and suggests that "a tremendous amount of diplomatic negotiations have been going on for quite some time," says Danielle Gilbert, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University.

Gilbert, who has advised the British, US and Canadian governments on hostage recovery, told BBC's Newshour that prisoner swaps are usually made one-for-one.

She added that she "hasn't seen anything at this scale in the recent wave of hostage diplomacy".

This was the moment that three US citizens who were being held in Russia arrived back on US soil - the biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War.

The BBC's Will Grant, who was at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, said the prisoner swap was remarkable given it came against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, with relations between Russia and the West at the lowest ebb in decades.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier at the airbase, when a reporter commented on how he had reached a deal despite not running for a next presidential term, President Biden quipped: "I will still get it down...You’re stuck with me as president, kid, for another 90 days."

President Biden has now left the airbase, but here's a bit more on what he said earlier - where he touched on having "access to the people you love".

"Imagine how you'd all feel if you're being held captive unfairly and you had children right at home," he said.

"Imagine you're sitting in a prison, not knowing [if] you'll ever get home, wondering what's going on with your children, how they go to bed at night crying, how they ache every night, every day you're gone. It matters," he added.

Image source, EPA

Will Grant
Reporting from Maryland

Image source, Reuters

Beyond looking somewhat gaunt and understandably tired, Evan Gershkovich didn’t show the effects of his time in a Russian prison.

Instead after embracing his family and speaking to President Biden and VP Harris, he walked over to his colleagues in the press corps for more hugs, smiles and jokes. And no doubt a couple of quotes for tomorrow’s editions.

It shows some extraordinary resilience given the extent of what he has been through over the past 500 days.

A journalist who never intended to be the story, thrust into a wider geopolitical game in which he was a pawn. And must now deal with the intense pressure of the interest of the world’s media as he recovers from his ordeal.

With all three Americans safely home, the air base has emptied out.

All the returnees and their families have now left, after initially lingering around for photographs and conversations.

Biden and Harris's motorcades have also exited the area. The media has been asked to leave too and have begun packing up.

Earlier we saw the moment Evan Gershkovich embraced his mother, after being held in Russia for 491 days.

His parents Ella and Mikhail, and sister Danielle had earlier said in a statement that "We can’t wait to give him the biggest hug and see his sweet and brave smile up close."

Image source, Reuters

Here's a look at some of the joyous moments as the freed Americans were reunited with their families at Joint Airbase Andrews.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Here's a bit more on what VP Harris said earlier.

Speaking to the press, she praised President Biden saying she was "very thankful for our president and what he has done... What he has been able to do to bring the allies together in many issue, and particularly this one".

She also hailed the "importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy".

President Biden has thanked his allies who he said made the "toughest call" to release the prisoners.

He also spoke about the importance of this day for families who have been separated with their loved ones.

Harris in turn shone the spotlight on Biden, saying release was testament to "a president who understands the power of diplomacy".

Evan Gershkovich has walked over to the press area. He’s greeting his colleagues and friends, with hugs and smiles now, and speaking to reporters.

Cai Pigliucci
Reporting from Maryland

Biden and Harris are now talking to the press here. Harris says it’s “an incredible day.”

She says you can see it in the families, “in their eyes and in their cries.”

Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva is the last to exit the plane.

She was seen hugging her children before posing for photographs with her loved ones.

Image source, Reuters

Former US Marine Paul Whelan was the first American to step off the plane. He was greeted by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Image source, Reuters

Cai Pigliucci
Reporting from Maryland

Cheers erupted here as Evan steps out of the plane. His WSJ colleagues are here - celebrating his release. He shook the hands of the President and VP before embracing President Biden.

As a plane carrying freed Americans has arrived at the air base, here's a reminder that you can watch all this happening in real time on our livestream above.

Cai Pigliucci
Reporting from Maryland

The plane carrying the freed American prisoners has just touched down.

It’s very quiet here now, barely anyone is speaking as we all wait for the moment they will exit the plane, greeted by the president and vice president, and see their families.

The plane carrying the three freed Americans - Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, has landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Will Grant
Reporting from Maryland

President Biden and VP Harris’ motorcades have arrived at Joint Base Andrews, signalling that there are just minutes to go before the highest profile American prisoners in modern times land back on US soil.

It has been a long and arduous journey to this point involving complex diplomacy and delicate politics. For the Biden Administration that is cause for celebration.

Also celebrating are Evan Gershkovich’s Wall Street Journal colleagues, who gathered on the tarmac to receive him - including the paper’s editor in chief, Emma Tucker.

For Evan, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva and the other prisoners now out of Russia, they are able to begin the process of getting over the sham trials, imprisonment, harsh conditions and, often, mistreatment they experienced in jail.