Putin tells press Russia wants to reach deal with U.S. on release of WSJ reporter Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. Here's what we know.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the U.S. and Moscow are engaged in a “dialogue” about a possible prisoner swap for two Americans detained in Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan. The U.S. government has declared that both are being wrongfully detained by Russia.

“We want to reach an agreement, and that agreement must be mutually acceptable and suit both sides,” Putin said Thursday. “A dialogue on the subject is under way. It's a difficult dialogue, and I won't go into the details now, but I think on the whole we're speaking in a language which we both understand. I hope we find a solution.”

Putin’s remarks came during the question-and-answer portion of a year-end press conference, in response to a New York Times reporter’s question about the cases of the detained Americans. Putin usually holds a press conference every year, but he skipped it last year for the first time in a decade, following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Tensions between the U.S. and Russian have skyrocketed since the invasion, leading analysts to suggest that Moscow may be using the detained Americans as “bargaining chips,” according to Associated Press.

What has the U.S. said?

The State Department said last week that the Biden administration made a new offer to secure the release of Gershkovich and Whelan, but Moscow rejected it. The State Department didn’t reveal the details of the offer or why Moscow rejected it.

“We would welcome [Russia] negotiating in good faith,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press briefing Thursday following Putin’s latest remarks. “We would welcome them engaging seriously with us to obtain the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, but 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.”

Who is Evan Gershkovich?

Gershkovich, 32, is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and was accredited to work as a journalist by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, according to the Journal.

He was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service on March 29 while on assignment in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,200 miles east of Moscow, just a day after he co-authored an article on Russia’s declining economy following its invasion of Ukraine.

He was accused of espionage, though Russian authorities haven’t provided detailed evidence to support the allegation. Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal and the U.S. vehemently deny the allegations.

Gershkovich is being held at Lefortovo Prison in Moscow, which is infamous for its harsh conditions.

Who is Paul Whelan?

Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, is a corporate security executive from Michigan and holds U.S., Canadian, British and Irish citizenships. He was detained by Russian authorities in December 2018 and imprisoned on espionage charges for his alleged involvement in an intelligence operation. He, his family and the U.S. have said the allegation is false. Whelan’s family said he was in Moscow to attend a friend’s wedding.

In 2020 Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in a remote prison labor camp, where he has been detained ever since. Last month CNN reported that Whelan was assaulted by a fellow prisoner. “The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has been in contact with Paul via phone and we understand he is receiving medical treatment following this incident,” a State Department spokesperson said at the time.

What’s the latest on Gershkovich’s case?

Gershkovich’s pretrial detainment was extended to Jan. 30, 2024, by a Moscow court last month. His appeal of that decision was denied on Thursday. In August, Gershkovich’s release had been pushed to the end of November by the Moscow court. He appealed that extension in October but lost.

“Although Evan appeared as sharp and focused as ever today in the courtroom, it is not acceptable that Russian authorities have chosen to use him as a political pawn,” Lynne Tracy, the U.S. ambassador to Russia, told reporters after the hearing Thursday. “[Evan’s] life has been put on hold for over eight months for a crime he didn’t commit.”

Russia has said it will consider a swap for Gershkovich, but only after there is a verdict in his espionage trial. It hasn’t been determined when he might face a trial, but it could take many months, according to the Wall Street Journal.

What’s the latest on Whelan’s case?

Back in July 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a proposal was made to Moscow for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Whelan. Griner was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap, but Whelan wasn’t part of the deal.

A year later, David Whelan, Paul’s brother, is calling on Biden to secure his release following reports that Moscow had rejected an offer from the U.S., CBS News reported last week.

“It has taken nearly 12 months for the U.S. to gather its resources and make a singular offer for Paul’s freedom,” David said in an email, per CBS News. “The offer was rejected. And we are once again back at square one, no further ahead than we were back on December 28, 2018. If there remain any stones to unturn, now is the time to uncover them.”