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Witkoff raised Karelina's case with Putin -US official

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U.S.-Russian talks on Ukraine peace to resume soon

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Witkoff to travel to Moscow again soon

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Swap took place in United Arab Emirates

(Adds Ksenia Karelina returning home in paragraphs 1, 4)

By Lucy Papachristou, Guy Faulconbridge and Steve Holland

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) -

A Russian-American ballerina who was sentenced to 12 years

in prison in Russia for donating to a charity aiding Ukraine

landed in Washington on Thursday after being freed in exchange

for a man the U.S. had accused of forming a global smuggling

ring to spirit sensitive electronics to Russia's military.

The exchange, which took place on the tarmac of an airport

in Abu Dhabi, indicates significant detailed contacts between

President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin and the administration of

U.S. President Donald Trump, who says he wants to strike a peace

deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Ksenia Karelina is a dual citizen whom a Russian court found

guilty last year of treason for donating $51.80 to a U.S.-based

charity providing humanitarian support to Ukraine.

When the plane carrying Karelina landed in Washington

late on Thursday night, she was met by her boyfriend, UFC

fighter Chris van Heerden, who hugged and kissed her as others

around them cheered.

During the exchange, Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian

citizen arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the United

States after being accused of exporting sensitive

microelectronics, was shown by Russian state television walking

past Karelina towards a Russian plane, where he underwent

medical check-ups.

"Petrov was exchanged for U.S. citizen Ksenia Karelina, who

also holds Russian citizenship and was sentenced to 12 years in

a penal colony for treason in the form of financial assistance

to a foreign state," said Russia's Federal Security Service

(FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

A U.S. official told Reuters that U.S. special envoy Steve

Witkoff brought up the case of Karelina with Putin during a call

last week and that Putin's reaction was to "do something as a

goodwill gesture because he wants to settle the war."

U.S. talks with Russia and Ukraine about ending the war were

to continue and Witkoff would travel to Russia soon, said the

official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also involved in the

negotiations, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe brought the deal

over the finish line, a second U.S. official said.

Trump publicly thanked Russia for the release of the

ballerina. He said he had received a call advocating for her

release from a friend, UFC Chairman Dana White.

"They released the young ballerina, and she is now out, and

that was great. So we appreciate that. We hope that we're going

to be able to make a deal relatively soon with Russia and

Ukraine to stop the fighting," Trump told reporters.

Two sources close to the swap who spoke on condition of

anonymity said that Putin's special envoy for international

economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, played a role in

discussions.

Dmitriev, a Stanford University-educated former Goldman

Sachs investment banker, is one of the most U.S.-savvy members

of Russia's elite, with close relations to some key members of

the Trump team. He met Witkoff in Washington last week.

AMERICANS STILL IN JAIL

The United States lists several Americans - some dual

citizens - who are in jail in Russia, including Stephen Hubbard,

an English teacher who Washington has officially declared as

wrongfully detained.

U.S. teacher Marc Fogel was released from a Russian prison

in February during a visit by Witkoff to Moscow. Saudi Crown

Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Dmitriev were involved in those

negotiations.

In August 2024, the U.S. and Russia carried out their

biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War, with 24 prisoners

gaining their freedom, including U.S. journalist Evan

Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

The U.S. Justice Department said last year that Petrov had

participated in a scheme to procure U.S.-sourced

microelectronics for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other

equipment to the Russian military.

The department also said that Petrov had formed an elaborate

tech-smuggling syndicate which spirited sensitive technology to

Russia's military-industrial complex through a web of shell

companies. Petrov was unavailable for comment.