Blinken Calls on Russia to Release US Journalist, Ex-Marine Accused of Espionage

On Sunday, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called for the immediate release of two Americans detained by Russia on espionage charges.

In a statement on April 2, the Department of State announced that Blinken had spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a rare phone call between the diplomats since the Ukraine war and demanded the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

In the call with his Russian counterpart, Blinken conveyed his worry about the Kremlin’s detention of Gershkovich on espionage allegations and called for his “immediate release.”

“Blinken conveyed the United States’ grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist,” according to a readout of the call, which added Blinken also urged the Kremlin to immediately release Whelan, whom the statement said was “wrongfully detained.”

According to the Department of State, Blinken and Lavror “discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work.”