Washington, DC – Today, Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding the release of Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine, from Russian detention, where he was routinely denied medical treatment and kept in severe conditions:

“I am thrilled at the news that Trevor Reed is on his way home. After almost 1,000 days of unjust detention under horrific conditions in Russia, I can only imagine the joy and the relief that Trevor and his family must feel today. Their persistence and unwavering courage throughout this horrific ordeal has made this day possible.
 
“Trevor’s release is also testament to the hard work and dedication of so many people in this Administration and across the U.S. government, particularly Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan. We are grateful for their daily service to our country.
 
“Yet even as we celebrate Trevor’s return, we are reminded of the sobering reality that there are Americans like Paul Whelan and others who, along with their families, may be asking themselves today – ‘why not us?’ Dictatorial regimes like Putin’s Russia continue to hold Americans hostage for their own nefarious gain, and we must not stop until they are all home safely with their families where they belong.”