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Dialogue between US and Russia on detained Americans has been "irregular," US secretary of state says

Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, appears in the Moscow City Court on April 18

02 May 2023 04:24 (UTC +04:00)

Dialogue between the United States and Russia on the status of detained Americans has been "irregular," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday, APA reports citing CNN.

“We have been in contact. We remain in contact through our embassy,” Blinken said in an interview with Fox News. “We have a channel that President Biden and President Putin established some time ago to deal with the arbitrary detention of our citizens.”

Blinken called for the immediate release of detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Pressed on repercussions for Moscow in response to the detention of American citizens, Blinken said the US has “taken a number of measures, including sanctions across the years and across cases.”

“But I think what you're seeing, again, is maybe the biggest sanction of all, is to further Russia’s isolation,” Blinken said. “By the way, we're working with other countries to build an even stronger coalition to make sure that there are strong consequences for any country that engages in these practices.”