Recently, Russia turned down the latest offer from the Biden administration to free Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, who are both U.S. citizens who are being held in prison. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the Department of State, confirmed the refusal and stressed how important the U.S. plan was without going into details. Miller was angry and said, “We shouldn’t have to make these suggestions.” They should not have been taken at all. Both of them should be freed right away. Even though the plan failed, Miller said that the government would keep trying everything it could to bring Gershkovich and Whelan home. In the current political saga between the two countries, things are getting worse.
US says Russia rejected ‘substantial’ proposal to free two jailed Americans (PHOTO: Al Jazeera)
As tensions rise between the US and Russia, the Biden administration stresses how important it is to free jailed Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. According to anonymous sources quoted in The Wall Street Journal, the deal that was turned down included a possible prisoner swap between the two countries. U.S. officials say that Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who is facing espionage charges, and Whelan, a corporate security executive who is serving a 16-year sentence for espionage, are being wrongfully detained. Both of these claims are strongly denied by the U.S. Gershkovich’s recent extension of his detention until January 30, 2024, makes the situation even worse. The failed plan is similar to the last prisoner swap the U.S. did with Russia in July 2022, which shows how hard it is to negotiate diplomatically when relations are already tense.
