Putin hopes to ‘find a solution’ on Gershkovich, Whelan

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he is hoping to “find a solution” with the United States on the return of detained Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.

During his year-end press conference Thursday, Putin was asked about a proposal from the U.S. for Whelan and Gershkovich’s release, which the U.S. State Department confirmed was rejected by Russia earlier this month.

“We have contacts on this matter with our American partners, there’s a dialogue on this issue. It’s not easy, I won’t go into details right now. But in general, it seems to me that we’re speaking a language each of us understands,” Putin said, The Associated Press reported. “I hope we will find a solution. But, I repeat, the American side must hear us and make a decision that will satisfy the Russian side as well.”

Putin stressed Moscow is not refusing to return the two Americans, while rhetorically noting, “Why would they committee offenses on Russian soil?” the news wire added.

Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive from Russia, was arrested in 2018 for allegedly spying in Moscow. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges, which he has denied. The U.S. considers Whelan to be wrongly detained.

Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, has spent more than 250 days in a Russian prison while he awaits trial on espionage charges. He was detained in March over allegations he collected military secrets on behalf of the U.S. government, which Gershokovich, his family, the Journal and the Biden administration all denied.

The U.S., along with press freedom groups, considers him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities have not revealed evidence in support of the charges, the AP reported.

A ruling by the Lefortovo District Court in Moscow extended his detention until the end of January. Gershkovich’s appeal was rejected by the Moscow City Court at a Thursday hearing.

Earlier this month, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S.’s previous proposal was “significant,” without going into the details of the proposal.

Despite Russia’s latest rejection, Miller reiterated it “will not deter us from continuing to do everything we can to try and bring both of them home.”

Miller previously said the State Department has “pressed the importance of this case through a number of channels” and “made a number of proposals” that have failed to materialize into a deal.

The Hill reached out to the State Department for a comment on Putin’s most recent comments.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has previously suggested a prisoner swap for Gershkovich after a verdict is reached in his trial, though this could be more than a year away.