GEOFF BENNETT: Jon Finer is President# Biden's deputy national security adviser,## and I spoke with him about# the prisoner swap moments ago.

Jon Finer, welcome back to the "News Hour."

JON FINER, U.S.

Principal Deputy National# Security Adviser: Thanks.

Good to be here.

GEOFF BENNETT: All told, this was among the most# complex prisoner swa.. War.

The deal was in the works for the last two# years, as I understand it, and ultimately came## together in the last two weeks.

What were the# key inflection points?

How did this all happen?

JON FINER: Look, I think there are# a few key aspects of this deal that## really speak to the approach that# our administration and President## Biden have taken to foreign policy# since we got here.

One is diplomacy.

We have said from the very beginning diplomacy# would be the hallmark of our foreign policy,## and that includes diplomacy at the level# of the president.

He made a call to a## fellow head of state, the prime minister of# Slovenia, one hour before telling the country## and the world that he was no longer going# to be running in this year's election to## try to free up one more aspect of this# deal that was ultimately successful.

It's that sort of face-to-face and# person-to-person diplomacy that's## at the core of our policy.

Second is allies and# partners.

The president has said his world view## was predicated on rebuilding, revitalizing# America's alliances, and you saw a half-dozen## allies come together today with different aspects# of this deal, which ultimately led to get it done.

And the third is execution.

As you said, this# was highly complex.

It involved a wide range## of countries, complicated logistics,# all coming together on the same day,## and it was executed without a# hitch.

And as a result of that,## a large number of people who would otherwise# be held captive are going to be coming home,## including three Americans and one legal# permanent resident of the United States.

GEOFF BENNETT: A question about the timing.

Why## now?

Why did Vladimir Putin view this# deal as being in his best interest?

JON FINER: Well, I'm the last person# who's going to speak to the mind-set## of Vladimir Putin.

That would be a# question better placed to others.

But one of the things that you realize, having# worked now on a number of these deals, even## though this one was the most complex, is that they# sort of move on their own speed.

They're a long,## very agonizing sometimes periods in which# it feels like not a lot is getting done.

You continue to beat your head against# it, continue to try to be creative,## come up with new solutions,# problem-solve, have conversations,## and then ultimately things can end up# moving much faster than anyone anticipates.

And that's what happened here.

We wish we# could have done this sooner.

Ultimately,## we got it done, we believe, in a timely# fashion that has led people to now be home## spending time with their families before too# much longer.

And we're quite happy about that.

GEOFF BENNETT: To what degree does# this signal any sort of breakthrough## of tensions between the U.S. and Russia,# and might any of this successful diplomacy## be put to use in helping bring an# end to Russia's war in Ukraine?

JON FINER: To be honest, I would caution# anybody against drawing too many broader## conclusions about the U.S.-Russia# relationship based on this deal.

That is not the course we're on, what# you just described.

We are obviously## in a very difficult place, completely on# opposite sides of the conflict in Ukraine,## and I don't see that changing any time# soon unless Russia makes a significant## set of changes to its approach and its# world view, and we don't anticipate that.

What we had here was a target of opportunity,# an opportunity to get some people home who## otherwise would be continued to be held# in a just unconscionable situation.

We## took that opportunity.

But, otherwise, we are# continuing with our approach, certainly with## the Ukraine war, into our broader approach to# the world, on its current course and speed.

GEOFF BENNETT: While this nightmare is certainly# over for those released, there were other## Americans, as you well know, who were left out# of this exchange, namely Marc Fogel, an American## sentenced to 14 years of hard labor in Russia,# and a U.S.-Russian citizen, Ksenia Karelina,## who's facing charges of treason for allegedly# donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity in the U.S. What is the administration doing to# secure their release at this point?

JON FINER: There continue to be# a number of Americans held under## very difficult circumstances, including the# two Americans you just mentioned in Russia,## including Americans in Syria and Afghanistan# and other places around the world.

And this administration has made an enormous# commitment from before the time we came into## this office, from the transition# to the Biden/Harris administration,## to do what we could to get these people home.# I think the president has now an extraordinary## track record of doing just that.

We're going# to continue to work on those cases and all## cases of Americans held who shouldn't# be until the end of this administration.

GEOFF BENNETT: Deputy National Security Adviser# Jon Finer, thanks for joining us this evening.

JON FINER: Thanks again.