Russia, United States Hold Extremely Delicate Prisoner Exchange Talks

A top Russian diplomat stated Moscow and the United States were still negotiating a prisoner exchange, but the US side was leaking details to the media.

On December 5, the US said that Russia had rejected a new and significant proposal for the release of Paul Whelan, a former US soldier serving a 16-year term in Russia for spying, and US reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is facing espionage charges in Moscow. Both men deny being spies, and the United States has labeled them as wrongfully detained by Russia.

In an interview published on Friday, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated, “The issue of exchanges of citizens serving prison terms in Russia and the United States is extremely delicate. Decisions in this area are often hampered by being actively discussed in public”.

Sergei further said that both countries’ intelligence services were in contact regarding possible exchanges.

“It is interesting that the participants in these contacts on the American side insist on their complete confidentiality. We also adhere to this line, but then certain twists occur when the White House regularly arranges ‘leaks’ and begins to discuss sensitive issues in the public space”, Sergei continued.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow hoped to negotiate an agreement, but that Washington must listen to Russia’s conditions, which he did not detail.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Washington was actively pursuing the release of Whelan and Gershkovich and would leave no stone unturned to bring them home.

The two nations have already agreed to high-profile prisoner swaps in the past, most recently in December 2022 when Moscow exchanged Brittney Griner, a US basketball star convicted of a narcotics offense in Russia, for Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout.

The Wall Street Journal has categorically denied that their reporter Gershkovich is a spy. In March, he was arrested on suspicion of attempting to obtain military secrets.

Whelan, who was jailed in 2018, told the media this week that he felt abandoned by the US and that his life was draining away in a Russian penal colony.

On Thursday, the White House said it was very concerned about claims that Whelan felt physically threatened in prison.

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