Moscow does not publicly discuss Washington’s proposals for the exchange of American prisoners Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. This was stated by RIA News Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Peskov responded to a request for comment on news about the issue, saying, “We are not discussing this issue publicly.”
December 5 TASS, citing the head of the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Matthew Miller reportedIt has been stated that in recent weeks, the USA has sent an important offer to Russia to exchange American Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who were convicted of espionage in the Russian Federation. He emphasized that this proposal was rejected by the Russian side.
Paul Whelan was detained in Moscow in December 2018. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges and sent to Mordovia’s maximum security penal colony No. 17 to serve his sentence. Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia at the end of March this year. He has been detained since then and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Formerly in the State Duma statedIt was stated that Putin will not be able to enter Armenia due to the ratification of the ICC’s Rome Statute.