Russia Denies US Proposal For Release Of Paul Whelan And Evan Gershkovich

Russian authorities declined a U.S. proposal seeking the release of two Americans, who have been reportedly “wrongfully detained” in Russia, confirms the State Department.

What Happened: The rejection of the U.S. proposal was disclosed by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, the two American detainees facing espionage charges in Russia, have rejected these accusations, Reuters reported.

While not revealing the details of the proposal, Miller confirmed it to be substantial and novel. He emphasized that the two men should never have been arrested and must be released without delay. He assured that the U.S. remains firm in its efforts to secure their release, despite Russia’s refusal of the proposal, which did not include other detainees.

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Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, was detained in Russia in 2018 and was sentenced to a 16-year prison term for espionage in 2020, a charge that both Whelan and the U.S. government deny.

Why It Matters: Gershkovich, a journalist, was taken into custody in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on similar charges in March, which could result in a 20-year sentence. Both Gershkovich and his employer, the Wall Street Journal, reject these charges and have been advocating for his immediate release.

The U.S. government has dismissed these charges as “ridiculous” and “politically motivated.” President Joe Biden has also described Gershkovich’s detention as “totally illegal.”

This is not the first time that a proposal for the release of detainees has met with a roadblock. Former President Donald Trump revealed that he had turned down a one-for-one prisoner exchange proposal from Russia during his tenure. The swap would have involved Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer, for Whelan.

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