Russia could consider the possibility of a prisoner exchange for jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich only after a Russian court renders a verdict, reports Journal reporter Ann Simmons.
Simmons writes, “Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the state news agency TASS on Thursday that ‘the issue of exchanging anyone can be considered after the court issues its verdict specifically on a particular charge,’ he said.
“Mr. Ryabkov also said that any talks to swap Mr. Gershkovich, as well as Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine serving a 16-year sentence for espionage, would use a channel that Moscow and Washington tapped in the past for such talks.
“‘We have a special channel for this, the special services are engaged in this, and they will continue to deal with this issue,’ Mr. Ryabkov said, according to TASS.
“The official also said that there would be no need for the involvement of a third country in such talks.”
Read more here.
