Putin Hints He May Make Deal to Send Gershkovich Home

(TotalConservative.com) – During a much anticipated and controversial interview with Tucker Carlson, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s willing to make a deal with the United States to release imprisoned Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in Russia for espionage.

On Thursday, Feb. 8, Carlson released an interview he conducted two days before, on Feb. 6, and pressed the Russian president on various issues. One of the questions Carlson asked was if Russia would be willing to release Gershkovich to come home with Carlson and his team as a show of “decency.” Gershkovich was arrested on March 29, 2023, and accused by Russian authorities of espionage. He’s currently being held in the Lefortovo prison.

Carlson maintained that 32-year-old Gershkovich was “just a kid” doing his job as a journalist and “obviously not a spy.” Putin disagreed with this, and pointed out that the WSJ reporter was covertly “receiving classified, confidential information.” He said that although there are “different interpretations” of what is considered “a spy,” there are also “certain things provided by law.” One of those things that qualifies as espionage, Putin said, is “if a person gets secret information” in a “conspiratorial manner.”

The Russian president did raise the possibility that the journalist may have received the classified material simply “out of carelessness,” but maintained that even if that were the case, the actions still qualify as espionage and that Gerschkovch “was caught red-handed” while receiving the information.

The White House, Gershkovich’s family, and his employer all insist that he isn’t a spy and has been wrongfully detained.

Carlson questioned whether or not Gershkovich worked for “the US Government or NATO” or if he simply received the information while conducting “normal journalistic work.” Putin replied that he didn’t know who Gershkovch was working for but that it may have been “US special services” or “some other agencies.”

Putin held to his previously stated position on the matter that the WSJ reporter would only be released as part of “an agreement,” one that is “mutually acceptable” to both parties.