Russian officials denied Donald Trump’s boast on Thursday that they will free jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich if he is re-elected in November as a personal favor to him.
In an early morning post on Truth Social said that Gershkovich, “will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office.”
“He will be HOME, SAFE, AND WITH HIS FAMILY. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!” he continued.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Guardian that they haven’t discussed the matter with Trump.
“There aren’t any contacts with Donald Trump,” Peskov said. “Regarding [US-Russian] contacts on the matter of incarcerated and convicted individuals, we can say that these contacts must be carried out in total secrecy. This is the only way they can be effective.'”
Gershkovich was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting assignment in the country over a year ago.
He is detained on spying allegations, making him the first American detained on such an allegation since the Cold War. Gershkovich, the WSJ and the Biden administration have rejected the accusation.
Late last year, the Biden administration said a proposal to free Gershkovich was rejected by the Russians.
