The Kremlin reiterated its stance on Wednesday regarding a potential prisoner exchange with the United States, emphasizing that such delicate matters are best handled “in silence,” indicating that it will refrain from commenting on the status of negotiations.
The United States has been pushing for the release of former Marine Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich, both detained in Russian prisons on espionage charges they vehemently deny. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Tuesday that he had a rare telephone conversation with Whelan.
When asked about the possibility of a prisoner swap, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referenced President Vladimir Putin’s recent interview, where Putin emphasized the importance of handling such matters discreetly.
Peskov stated, “I want to remind you of President Putin’s recent interview, where he emphasized that these issues prefer silence and can only be resolved in such an environment. Therefore, it is in our best interest, as well as that of the American side and all parties involved, to handle these matters quietly.”
Putin previously hinted in an interview with journalist Tucker Carlson that, in exchange for Gershkovich, Moscow sought the release of Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted of the 2019 murder of a Chechen dissident in Berlin.
