An American imprisoned in Russia for 5 years on espionage charges, which he and the U.S. government dismiss as baseless, has expressed frustration over being “left behind” by the Biden administration in its dealings with Moscow.
Paul Whelan, who holds U.S., U.K., Irish, and Canadian citizenship, voiced concern in a phone interview with BBC News that he would be excluded from any future prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia. He described the situation as a “serious betrayal” and said his life is “draining away” while the two governments continue negotiations.
Whelan’s case is not the only one causing tension in U.S.-Russia relations. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia on unsubstantiated espionage charges, is also awaiting trial. The U.S. State Department said Russia recently rejected a “significant” proposal to secure the release of both men.
Both Whelan and Gershkovich’s families have vehemently denied the allegations against them, and the U.S. government has classified both men as being wrongfully detained by Russia.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured the families of those detained or held hostage not to give up hope. However, the Whelan family expressed frustration over the lack of progress in securing his release.
According to Whelan’s brother, the White House has told the family Paul’s case remains a top priority, but they are unsure about what that means moving forward. The family has called for President Biden to meet with them to reassure them that efforts to secure Whelan’s release will not be dropped.
The U.S. has previously negotiated prisoner swaps with Russia, but Whelan fears being left behind in any future deals, stating that conditions at the prison camp where he is being held have “declined seriously.”
The case of Paul Whelan continues to be a sticking point in U.S.-Russia relations, as neither side appears to have made significant progress in resolving the issue.