Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Moscow is currently engaged in discussions with the United States regarding the detained individuals Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. During his end-of-year press conference on Thursday, Putin expressed his hopes of "finding a solution," despite acknowledging the challenges involved.
These statements follow the U.S. State Department's announcement last week, stating that Russia had recently rejected their proposals. Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department, Miller, expressed their hope for a change in Russia's approach to the matter, stating, "So far we have seen them refuse to take us up on our proposals and we hope that they will change the way they've handled this going forward."
Thursday's event marked Putin's first year-end press conference since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The long-standing leader of the country recently announced his candidacy for another six-year term as president in Russia's upcoming March election.
Detained Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan
Gershkovich, a journalist with the Wall Street Journal, has been imprisoned in Russia since March, when he was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg and accused of espionage. Both Gershkovich and the Wall Street Journal deny the allegations against him, and the United States declared him to be wrongfully detained.
A Moscow court on Thursday refused a fourth appeal to release Gershkovich from pretrial detention, leaving him under arrest until Jan. 30, 2024.
Whelan, a corporate security executive, has been jailed in Russia since 2018 on espionage-related charges that he and the U.S. government dispute.
"As my government has said countless times, the charges against Evan and Paul are baseless," U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy said in a statement. "The U.S. government will continue to advocate for Evan's immediate release, and the release of all wrongfully detained Americans overseas."
Putin said there was a dialogue between Russia and the U.S.
"It's not easy, I won't go into details right now. But in general, it seems to me that we're speaking a language each of us understands," Putin said. "I hope we will find a solution. But, I repeat, the American side must hear us and make a decision that will satisfy the Russian side as well."
The war in Ukraine
During the recent press conference, Putin addressed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, expressing confidence in Russia's eventual victory. He reiterated Russia's goals of demilitarization and "denazification" of Ukraine, referring to the Kremlin's narrative that the war is aimed at liberating the country from Nazis.
"I am sure that victory will be ours," Putin declared, highlighting the progress made by Russian troops along the entire line of contact.
Since the invasion in February 2022, Russia has faced numerous Western sanctions. Despite international isolation, Putin stated that Russia is prepared to continue the conflict without the need for further troop mobilization.
"We have enough resources not only to feel confident but also to move forward," he affirmed.
Ukraine's counteroffensive during the summer months did not yield significant progress, and support from Western countries appears to be waning due to political disputes in the United States and the European Union.
