"Controversy Surrounding Navalny's Alleged Involvement in Prisoner Swap Deal with Russia"

Western officials confirm that discussions for a prisoner swap involving Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were underway before his death, but no formal offer had been made to the Kremlin. An ally of Navalny's claimed that negotiations for his release had been ongoing for months, including the inclusion of an FSB agent jailed in Germany and two American citizens in the exchange. The U.S. is focused on securing the release of former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, while Germany declined to comment on the issue.