Evan Gershkovich: US confirms Russia contact over prisoner swap for reporter

The US says it has held discussions with Russia aimed astatine bringing jailed American writer Evan Gershkovich location - but that determination is nary "clear pathway" to his release.

Asked astir a captive swap, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US was "prepared to bash hard things" to get Mr Gershkovich back.

The Wall Street Journal reporter, accused of espionage, was arrested connected 29 March.

The US says the lawsuit is baseless.

It accuses Russia of holding Mr Gershkovich for "leverage".

He said that "there person been discussions, but those discussions person not produced a wide pathway to a resolution".

"We are prepared to bash hard things successful bid to get our citizens home, including getting Evan home. I bash not privation to springiness mendacious hope," helium said. "We person a wide committedness and condemnation that we volition bash everything imaginable to bring him home."

On 22 June a Moscow tribunal rejected an entreaty to escaped Mr Gershkovich, 31, who is being held astatine Lefortovo, wherever the Soviet KGB formerly held dissidents.

On Tuesday the Kremlin said determination had been "certain contacts" with the US implicit Mr Gershkovich's case, suggesting the anticipation of a captive exchange.

The erstwhile time US ambassador Lynne Tracy was allowed to sojourn Mr Gershkovich successful a Moscow situation for lone the 2nd time. He is the archetypal Western writer to beryllium jailed successful Russia since the Soviet era.

Russian embassy unit besides precocious visited Vladimir Dunaev, a Russian nationalist detained successful the US connected cybercrime charges. He was extradited to the US from South Korea successful 2021.

There is speculation that a caller captive swap whitethorn beryllium arranged.

The US has besides been pressing for the merchandise of Paul Whelan, a erstwhile US Marine who has been successful jailhouse for much than 4 years.

Mr Whelan is successful Mordovia, an country acold southbound eastbound of Moscow known for harsh conditions successful its situation camps.

And aft being jailed for 10 months, basketball prima Brittney Griner was released successful December aft the US brokered a situation swap and released Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned successful the US implicit weapons smuggling.