The Russian ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, stated he had a “very harsh” dialog with the State Department over the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Mr. Antonov met with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland after being summoned over Mr. Gershkovich’s detention in late March on costs of espionage — allegations the U.S. has referred to as bogus.
“The Americans threatened us with retaliatory measures if we did not release Gershkovich in the near future. Let’s see how they will act,” Mr. Antonov advised Russia’s Channel One.
He stated the assembly had “no practical outcome.”
Mr. Antonov additionally stated the variety of U.S. reporters in Russia exceeds the variety of Russian reporters within the U.S.
“Maybe it’s time for us to show reciprocity and reduce the number of American journalists who work in Moscow, Russia as a whole, to the number that works in Washington and New York?” he stated.
The State Department has decided that Mr. Gershkovich, 31, was wrongfully detained in Russia, which means he’s basically a political or diplomatic hostage.
The designation commits a particular State Department workplace to his case.
Many consider that Russian President Vladimir Putin is utilizing U.S. detainees as diplomatic pawns in opposition to the backdrop of his invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. used a prisoner swap to free U.S. basketball star and twice Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner, although it’s unclear how the American facet plans to barter for the discharge of Mr. Gershkovich and a second U.S. detainee, Paul Whelan.
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