US Envoy Promises To Do Whatever It Takes To Repeat Two Of Its Detained Citizens In Russia

Russian detained US journalist Evan Gershkovich. (Instagram/@evangershkovich)

JAKARTA - The United States' top hostage free envoy vowed to bring home two of their nationals being held by Russia - journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan - as he pressed Moscow to grant consular access to Wall Street Journal reporters.

"The President of the United States and the Secretary of State are committed to bringing Evan and Paul Whelan home as well. And we will find whatever it takes to get the job done," said Roger Carstens, special envoy to the US President, as quoted by Reuters from CNN, April 13.

In a series of television interviews, Carstens repeated Washington's calls for Moscow to allow consular visits with detained Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich, who has had little contact with his lawyers since his detention two weeks ago.

Gershkovich looked in good spirits and well, he said. "But we haven't been able to verify that through a consular visit," Carstens said on ABC News.

Earlier in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia was considering granting access.

The US State Department had previously ruled Gershkovich's detention illegal, a move Ryabkov said would not change Moscow's approach.

"We will not tolerate any attempts to put pressure on us," Russia's state-owned TASS news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying.

Russian security services, without providing evidence, accused Gershkovich of collecting information classified as state secrets about military factories. The Wall Street Journal disputed the Russian claims.

The State Department designates several Americans, including Whelan, detained overseas as "wrongly detained," based on criteria including whether they have reliable information that they are innocent, whether they are being held because they are US citizens or to influence policy. US or get concessions.

Carstens would not elaborate on a possible prisoner swap and said on ABC he saw discussions taking place over the coming "days, weeks, months".

Previously, Washington was unable to reach an agreement to release Whelan, who was convicted by a Russian espionage tribunal in 2020.

"We have a significant offer on the table (for Whelan). We urge Russia to accept it," Carstens told MSNBC.

Separately, the Whelan family have expressed frustration that Paul Whelan had been "abandoned" in the last custody swap between American basketball player Brittney Griner in December for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.