U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, held a meeting on Monday with Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter currently detained in Moscow, according to the State Department. This was the first time embassy officials had been granted consular access since April. Tracy reported that Gershkovich is in good health and remains strong, despite his circumstances. The U.S. Embassy will continue to offer support to Gershkovich and his family, and they expect the Russian authorities to provide ongoing consular access. Gershkovich, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested in Yekaterinburg earlier this year on espionage charges. He is currently awaiting trial while in detention. TASS, a Russian state-run media outlet, also confirmed that Tracy was granted access to Gershkovich. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned last week that the U.S. has been pushing for consular access since the beginning and is exploring ways to bring Gershkovich, alongside other detained Americans, back home. Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, which he denies. In a prisoner exchange last year, Russia and the U.S. exchanged individuals, but Whelan was not included. U.S. officials have criticized Gershkovich’s detainment, stating that he was targeted due to his profession as a journalist. President Biden has described the situation as “totally illegal.” The U.S. continues to view the legal process surrounding Gershkovich’s case as a sham.
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