Biden’s massive Russian prisoner swap comes with major trouble for next president

The release of Western hostages from Russian captivity is a near-term success for the Biden administration — but it is purchased at great cost. By trading Russian spies and criminals for wrongfully imprisoned Americans and dissidents, the deal risks encouraging Russia and other authoritarian regimes to take more hostages. 

The scale of the prisoner swap is large when compared to recent exchanges. Trades like this rarely feature so many individuals and governments. In total, the deal includes at least 24 people and eight countries...