Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, noted that discussions with the United States on a prisoner exchange are moving forward, though the terms of progress must be interpreted within the framework of the existing agreement. The remarks came from a conversation with TASS via a state information channel.
When asked about Moscow’s stance on Washington’s latest proposal to swap American detainees Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, Naryshkin stated that such talks remain active. He added that the content of the exchange is not publicly commented on, in line with the bilateral agreement that governs the process.
He expressed disappointment that the American side, represented by the State Department, has not fulfilled the commitments embedded in that agreement.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had indicated that Moscow had not publicly discussed Washington’s exchange suggestions involving Whelan and Gershkovich.
On December 5, TASS, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press service, reported that in recent weeks the United States had put forward a significant offer to Russia regarding the exchange of Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, both of whom were convicted on espionage charges. The Russian side reportedly rejected that proposal.
Paul Whelan, detained in Moscow in December 2018, received a 16-year sentence on espionage charges and was sent to Mordovia’s maximum-security penal colony No. 17. Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was detained in Russia late last March and faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
There was also a statement from a former State Duma member indicating that Vladimir Putin would not be able to travel to Armenia because of the Rome Statute ratification by the International Criminal Court.