Following the arrest of a US reporter in Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is now seeking direct talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The two spoke on the phone on Sunday. During the conversation, Blinken called for the immediate release of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich, who is suspected of being a spy.
Blinken conveyed the US government’s “serious concern” over the American reporter’s unacceptable detention. The State Department in Washington said it had called on Russia to release long-detained US citizen Paul Whelan.
Lavrov: Court decides the reporter’s fate
Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, phone calls between the two foreign ministers have become rare. The Russian Foreign Ministry said after the meeting that Lavrov had asked Blinken to respect the decisions of the Russian authorities, which are in line with the law and Russia’s international obligations. The court will decide the further fate of the reporter, Lavrov said. It was also stressed that it was unacceptable for officials in Washington and Western media to pressure the case with the intention of giving it a political slant, Moscow said.
A court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant for the American reporter on Thursday for allegedly spying for the United States. The Wall Street Journal journalist had also researched Russia’s war against Ukraine. He was initially detained until May 29, the court said. Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The American newspaper rejected the allegations against its employees. The White House called the espionage charges ridiculous and strongly condemned Gershkovich’s imprisonment. US President Joe Biden also called on Russia on Friday to release him. The American Paul Whelan, on the other hand, has been in prison in Russia for several years – also on charges of alleged espionage.
Source: Krone
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