Russia Rejects US Proposal to Free Detained Americans
Russia has turned down a substantial proposal from the United States to secure the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, two Americans currently detained in Moscow, the US state department has revealed. The state department spokesman, Matthew Miller, disclosed that the US made multiple proposals to free the wrongfully detained individuals, including a recent and significant offer. Miller affirmed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Joe Biden are committed to finding a solution to secure the release of Gershkovich and Whelan. The state department emphasized that the two Americans should never have been arrested and urged Russia to release them immediately.
While the details of the rejected proposal were not disclosed, Miller did not confirm if any Russians would have been released in exchange for the detained Americans. Despite the strained relationship between the United States and Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, the two countries have previously arranged prisoner swaps on two occasions. One such swap led to the release of basketball star Brittney Griner, who had been arrested on charges related to cannabis possession.
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in late March while on a reporting assignment, making him the first Western journalist to be jailed on spying charges in Russia since the Soviet era. Both Gershkovich’s newspaper and the US government firmly deny any involvement in espionage on his part. His detention was extended until January by a Moscow court just last week.
The other detained American, Paul Whelan, was arrested in Moscow in 2018. At the time of his arrest, Whelan was employed in security for a US vehicle parts company. Whelan has continuously maintained that the evidence against him was fabricated. Last week, Whelan’s family reported that he had been assaulted by a fellow inmate in prison, possibly due to his nationality.
The news of Russia rejecting the US proposal comes as a blow to the efforts of the American government to secure the release of Gershkovich and Whelan. The US state department’s statement reiterated that their release is of utmost importance to Secretary of State Blinken and President Biden. The rejection underscores the ongoing diplomatic challenges between the two nations and the increasingly difficult task of resolving this particular detainee issue. As negotiations continue, the fate of Gershkovich and Whelan remains uncertain, leaving their families and supporters anxiously awaiting their return home.
