Putin States Swap Deal for WSJ Reporter Gershkovich Could Be Possible, According to Reuters

By David Ljunggren

Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated in a recent interview that there may be a potential opportunity to secure the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is currently facing trial on espionage accusations, in exchange for a Russian prisoner.

In his discussion with U.S. television host Tucker Carlson, Putin mentioned that Russian and American intelligence agencies were in conversations regarding the case and had made progress. He suggested that a condition for this exchange would be the release of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian convicted for the 2019 murder of a Chechen dissident in Berlin.

Gershkovich was detained on March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg and is accused of attempting to gather defense secrets. Both he and the Wall Street Journal vehemently deny the allegations, with the U.S. government labeling him as wrongfully detained.

"We are willing to resolve this matter, but there are terms being negotiated through intelligence channels," Putin noted, expressing confidence that an agreement could eventually be reached. He emphasized the need for reciprocal actions from Russia’s partners in this endeavor.

Putin highlighted the history of successful high-profile prisoner negotiations between the two nations, recalling the December 2022 exchange of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Referring to Krasikov, without explicitly naming him, Putin described an individual who acted out of “patriotic sentiments” to eliminate a "bandit" in a European capital.

Last month, a Moscow court extended Gershkovich’s detention for an additional two months. Putin claimed the reporter was "caught red-handed while attempting to obtain confidential information."