Russia Has Shown Scant Interest in Prisoner Swaps for Dozens Held in US Prisons
Setbacks securing the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and other Americans held in Russia through a trade for high-profile Russians locked up in other countries have forced U.S. officials to refocus on a deal involving Russian prisoners in U.S. custody.
One problem: it’s unclear that Russia wants any of them. Hopes that Russia might trade for an accused spy in Brazilian custody were dealt a blow last month when Brazil’s government denied a U.S. request to extradite him.
U.S. officials have identified several other allied countries that have detained Russians who have ties to Russian intelligence services or are otherwise valuable, but the Brazilian example underscores the complications for the U.S. when a third country is involved.
For example, Russia has made clear its interest in Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for the murder of a former Chechen rebel leader. The German foreign minister has said the killing was “state-ordered"; the Kremlin has denied any involvement in the case. A made-in-the-USA solution, by contrast, is entirely within the American government’s control, even if it carries some domestic political challenges.
But while there are several potential prisoners in U.S. custody who could be trade prospects, U.S. officials say Russia hasn’t indicated a clear interest in negotiating for their release.
The U.S. government considers Gershkovich, as well as Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive, to be wrongfully detained in Russia, and says it is committed to bringing them home. It has also sought the release of another American, teacher Marc Fogel, on humanitarian grounds.
Read more on livemint.com
