Fox News Digital has learned that President Donald Trump will host the U.S. Russian ballerina at the White House on Monday, about a month after the Trump administration released her from a Russian prison.
Former ballerina Ksenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in a Russian criminal colony for treason in 2024. Fox Digital previously reported that the 33-year-old was released on April 10 and returned to the United States through a U.S. Russian prison swap on April 10.
After returning to the United States on April 11, Carrelina said in a video posted by Trump’s deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka: “Mr. Trump, I am so thankful for bringing me home and the U.S. government. I never felt lucky and I was very happy to be home.
A White House official confirmed to Fox Digital on Monday that Carellina will visit the White House on Monday afternoon.
Russian-American Ballerina Ksenia Karelina releases in exchange for prisoners in Moscow
Ksenia Karelina traveled with her boyfriend Chris Van Heerden when she arrived at Andrews Joint Base in Maryland on April 10. （AP/Alex Brandon）
Karelina, an American citizen, was born in Russia and has been living and working in Los Angeles when she was arrested. Fox Digital Numbers According to reports, in 2024, when the Russian Federation Security Agency (the country's top security agency) checked her phone, she was visiting her family in Yekatlinburg, Russia and found that she donated about $50 to a US charity designed to help Ukraine in order to help Ukraine.
American Ballerina accused of donating $51 in Moscow for surveillance trial
Ksenia Karelina thanked President Donald Trump in a video posted to his Truth Social Account on April 11. （AP/Alex Brandon）
She was initially detained for “little rogueism,” but then Russian officials claimed she raised funds for the Ukrainian army and participated in actions to support Ukraine, a charge that was later rebelled.
Karelina was returned to the United States in exchange for the U.S. release of Arthur Petrov, a dual German Russian citizen accused of exporting sensitive U.S. electronics to the Russian military. Reuters previously reported that he was arrested in 2023 and was charged with conspiracy and violation of export controls.
American ballerina pleads guilty to sell to treason from Russian prisoners
Karelina's family celebrated her release last month, with her former stepmother, Eleonra Srebroski, who told Fox News at the time that she was "ecstatic" on the prisoner exchange while praising Trump's release.
"I'm very high in spirit. We're very happy. It's any emotion... it's healing," Srebrowski said. "We have a lot of hope for the Trump administration and we know she'll be next after Mark Fogel. We're more supportive of Trump."
Karelina's boyfriend Chris Van Heerden told the New York Post when he was released in April that the couple longed to meet Trump and thank him.
President Donald Trump is expected to meet Ksenia Karelina at the White House on Monday. (Getty Image)
Van Heerden told the media at the time: "We really need to thank him in person. It was right at the time, she wanted to see him, and I was happy to shake hands to bring back my life's love. I don't like politics."
He added: "I've been begging the Biden administration for a full year to bring Kenya back. About seven months, I realized that this wouldn't happen. They won't do it for me. I have the confidence that I really believe that when President Trump comes to power, he can do it, he did it."
Click here to get the Fox News app
Karelina's release comes after another prisoner deal that the Trump administration strikes in February with Russia, which releases U.S. citizen and teacher Marc Fogel, who has been detained in Russia since 2021 for possession of marijuana at the airport.