The two sides haven’t discovered a “clear pathway to a resolution” thus far, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has mentioned
American and Russian officers are holding talks on potential prisoner trades, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan instructed journalists on Friday. The record of candidates for change consists of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, he added.
The negotiations haven’t yielded any tangible outcomes thus far, the senior White House official mentioned, including that he didn’t need to give “false hope.” Gershkovich was arrested in Russia in late March on espionage fees and has remained in custody ever since. In May, a Russian court docket prolonged his arrest till August 30.
“There have been discussions, but those discussions have not produced a clear pathway to a resolution,” Sullivan mentioned when requested about Gershkovich’s case. He additionally mentioned that the US had no “clear answer” on how to safe the journalist’s launch.
Earlier this week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov additionally mentioned that Moscow and Washington have been holding talks on potential prisoner swaps. “We have said that there are certain contacts on this subject but we do not want to make them public in any way,” he mentioned, including that such discussions “should… continue in complete silence.”
Peskov didn’t point out Gershkovich’s case particularly. He solely mentioned that diplomatic entry to these detained needs to be facilitated by each Moscow and Washington. His phrases got here after the US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, visited Gershkovich in Moscow’s Lefortovo jail. She acknowledged that the reporter was in “good health” and remained “strong, despite his circumstances.”
The US formally designated Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained” by Russia in April. Moscow maintains that what he was doing within the Russian metropolis of Yekaterinburg “had nothing to do with journalism.” Peskov additionally beforehand described the reporter as being “caught red-handed” in an act of espionage.
It has been reported that Washington allegedly thought of some “creative solutions” to get Gershkovich launched, together with arresting some “Russian spies” in third nations to supply in change. A Russian MP beforehand prompt buying and selling the WSJ reporter for Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange, presently being held in a British maximum-security jail whereas the US seeks his extradition on espionage fees.
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