Dana White, the UFC president, shared his role in securing the release of Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American ballerina detained in Russia, during a press conference in Kansas City on April 26 2025. White explained how a friend’s request led to a phone call with then-President-elect Donald Trump, who worked with Russian President Vladimir Putin to free Karelina in three weeks. Karelina, arrested in January 2024 for a $51 donation to a charity allegedly supporting Ukraine, faced 12 years in prison on treason charges, per Reuters. White’s action contributed to her release on February 6 2025.
White recounted, “So, when we had the fight in Australia, in Sydney, I got a call from a friend of mine [who] asked if he could come by my hotel room and talk to me. I said, ‘Of course.’ He came by and told me the story and then asked if I would go to the president. I guess they had been working for like a year with the old administration, trying to get released and couldn’t get it done. So, they asked if I could talk to Trump. So, I said, ‘Of course.’ I called him and he said, ‘Yeah, let me see what I can do.’ And literally in three weeks, he had her out.”
He added, “She facetimed me two days ago. What an incredible, sweet, positive human being she is. Yeah, President Trump and [Vladimir] Putin, give them both credit for getting her out… I didn’t do anything but make a call.”
‘At the request of a very good friend’ – Trump comments on the release of U.S.-Russian ballerina Ksenia Karelina, requested by UFC CEO Dana White, in a prisoner swap with Russia following a deal with Putin.
Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia after being… pic.twitter.com/FStwisjGsj
— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) April 11, 2025
A Diplomatic Effort Sparks Freedom
Karelina, a 33-year-old amateur ballerina and Los Angeles spa worker, was detained in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in January 2024 for donating to Razom for Ukraine, deemed treasonous by Russian authorities, per Reuters. Sentenced to 12 years in August 2024, she was freed on February 6 2025 in a prisoner exchange involving the U.S., Russia, and other nations. The swap, finalized in Ankara, Turkey, included Karelina and reporter Evan Gershkovich among 16 people released.
White’s involvement began during a UFC event week in Sydney in early February 2025, when a friend shared Karelina’s story. White, who spoke at a Trump campaign rally in January 2025, made the call that started the process. Karelina’s Facetime call with White on February 7 2025 showed her gratitude, which he found uplifting. Her case gained attention due to her dual citizenship and the minor donation.
White stressed he only made a connection, crediting Trump and Putin for the outcome. Posts on X praised White’s effort, with some calling it a win for Karelina, though others debated the political context. The swap was a major prisoner exchange, per BBC News, allowing Karelina to reunite with her fiancé, boxer Chris Van Heerden.
