Putin ‘Not Ruling Out’ Prisoner Swap for US Reporter Evan Gershkovich

Reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in March while on a reporting trip and accused of espionage, stands before a court hearing to consider an appeal against his detention in Moscow, on June 22, 2023. Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Russia and the United States could potentially reach an agreement regarding a prisoner swap involving The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Mr. Putin made the comments during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which was conducted at the Kremlin on Feb. 6 and published online two days later.

The roughly two-hour-long discussion between the Russian leader and the news anchor covered a wide range of topics, including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, NATO expansion, the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline, and topics related to businessman Elon Musk, among others.

Mr. Carlson also pressed the Russian leader on a possible prisoner swap involving Mr. Gershkovich, who has been detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on espionage charges since March 2023.

The host asked Mr. Putin if he would consider releasing Mr. Gershkovich into his custody “as a sign of decency.”

“We have done so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I think we have run out of them,” President Putin said. “We have never seen anyone reciprocate to us in a similar manner, however in theory, we can say that we do not rule out that we can do that if our partners take reciprocal steps.”

The Russian leader noted that the “partners” he was referring to are U.S. special services and said both they and Russian special services are currently in contact with one another and discussing the case.

“There is no taboo to settle this issue, we are willing to solve it. But certain terms are being discussed,” by both the U.S. and Russian partners, he said.

‘Agreement Can Be Reached’

“I believe an agreement can be reached,” Mr. Putin added.

Mr. Carlson went on to tell the Russian leader that Mr. Gershkovich is “obviously not a spy,” and “just a kid,” but is being held hostage in Russia.

He then suggested that imprisoning the reporter in Russia “degrades Russia,” and that “maybe it’s not fair to ask for an exchange.”

However, Mr. Putin countered that Mr. Gershkovich was “receiving classified and confidential information and he did it covertly,” which he said qualifies as espionage.

The Russian leader went on to mention a Russian “patriot” who had “eliminated a bandit” in a European capital, appearing to confirm previous reports that Russia is urging U.S. authorities to conduct a prisoner swap with Vadim Krasikov.

Mr. Krasikov was convicted by a court in Berlin, Germany, in 2021 of killing Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison. The Russian leader did not specifically state if the U.S. and Russia have discussed a prisoner swap involving Mr. Krasikov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Moscow, on March 10, 2022. Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Gershkovich ‘May Return to His Motherland’

“I do not rule out that the person you refer to, Mr. Gershkovich, may return to his motherland,” Mr. Putin said. “At the end of the day, it does not make sense to keep him in prison in Russia.”

“We want the U.S. special services to think about how they can contribute to achieving the goals our special services are pursuing,” he concluded.

Mr. Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, roughly 900 miles east of Moscow, while allegedly reporting on the Wagner mercenary group.

At the time, the FSB said it had “thwarted the illegal activities” of Mr. Gershkovich, who it said was “suspected of spying in the interests of the American government.”

Both Mr. Gershkovich and his employer, The Wall Street Journal, have vehemently denied the allegations. He is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, a former KGB prison known for its harsh conditions.

The Moscow-based correspondent lost his third appeal in October 2023. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

In a statement released on Feb. 8 following the interview, The Wall Street Journal said: “We’re encouraged to see Russia’s desire for a deal that brings Evan home, and we hope this will lead to his rapid release and return to his family and our newsroom.”

“Evan is a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Any portrayal to the contrary is total fiction. Evan was unjustly arrested and has been wrongfully detained by Russia for nearly a year for doing his job, and we continue to demand his immediate release,” the statement continued.