Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was imprisoned in Russia for over 16 months, made a bold proposal before his release in a prisoner swap on Thursday, asking whether he could interview Russian President Vladimir Putin after being freed.
Gershkovich made the request while filling out a mandated official request for presidential clemency that was addressed to Putin before his release, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview?” the Journal reported.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested on March 29, 2023, while reporting on a trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and was accused of espionage.
The Biden administration declared him “wrongfully detained,” and The Wall Street Journal and U.S. government both emphatically denied the charges, calling them absurd on their face.
Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years at a high-security penal colony on July 19.
President Biden on Thursday said that Russia released 16 prisoners in the swap for eight Russians being held in the West.
Among the prisoners Russia released were four Americans, including Gershkovich and Paul Whelan; five Germans; and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.
“Their brutal ordeal is over, and they are free,” Biden said.
And who did we give up in the swap?
We gave up a great Russian sniper that Putin wanted back bad. We probably got screwed like we always do.
WHY IS PUTIN ASYLUM STILL AMONG THE LIVING?? DON’T WE HAVE SPECIAL OPS ANYMORE? OR DOE WE HAVE TO GET RAMBO OUT OF RETIREMENT??
DROP DEAD TRAITOR JOE HITLER!!!
THATS AN ORDER!!!! NOW PSYCHO NOW!!!! C-PAP MALFUNCTION OR HOT LEAD WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!
BASTERD FROM FUCKIN HELL!!!!
Glad both men are finally free.
That’s great What about the political prisoners here in the US?