Topline
There is no communication between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former President Donald Trump about releasing Evan Gershkovich, the Kremlin said Thursday, after Trump claimed Putin would return the detained Wall Street Journal reporter to the U.S. after the presidential election “for me, but not for anyone else.”
The former president said Putin would release the jailed journalist “for me, but not for anyone … [+]
Key Facts
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “Putin has no contacts with Donald Trump,” adding the U.S. and Russia must communicate “in complete silence and in an absolutely covert manner” about a possible deal for Gershkovich’s release, the state-run news agency Tass reported.
Trump wrote on Truth Social early Thursday Gershkovich would be “released almost immediately after the election, but definitely before I assume office.”
Putin would release Gershkovich “for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!” Trump claimed, though he did not claim to have any contact with Russia or explain what would lead to Gershkovich’s release.
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Surprising Fact
This isn’t the first time Trump claimed Russia would release Gershkovich for him. In an interview with Time Magazine, Trump—who said he and Putin “get along very well”—said Gershkovich “should be released and he will be released,” adding, “I don’t know if he’s going to be released under Biden.”
Key Background
Russian officials arrested Gershkovich—a 32-year-old Russia correspondent for the Wall Street Journal—last year on espionage charges. Russia claims—without evidence—Gershkovich’s reporting was disguising a U.S. operation to gather information for American intelligence. Gershkovich, the Journal and the U.S. have denied claims the journalist was working for the American government and described his arrest as unjust. Secretary of Antony Blinken has said the U.S. was “intensely engaged” in talks for Gershkovich’s release, though he warned there wasn’t “a clear way forward.” During an interview with Tucker Carlson in February, Putin said he believed an agreement could be reached, though he reiterated Russia’s claim Gershkovich was gathering confidential information. Other prisoner swaps between Russia and the U.S. have been carried out in recent years, including a deal for basketball Brittney Griner in 2022 in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Big Number
20. That’s how many years in prison Gershkovich could face if convicted. Russia has extended Gershkovich’s detention multiple times over the last year, including a two-month extension last month.