Joe Biden once again blasted the arrest in Russia of American journalist Evan Gershkovich on Tuesday for “espionage”, calling it “completely illegal”.
“We have made it very clear that what is happening is completely illegal,” said the American president, during a brief exchange with journalists before flying to Northern Ireland.
The White House later indicated that Joe Biden had spoken by telephone from the Air Force One presidential plane with relatives of Evan Gershkovich.
The president told them that he was “focused on securing the release of Evan”, as well as that of another American national detained in Russia, Paul Whelan, a spokeswoman for the press said. the White House Karine Jean-Pierre.
“We appreciate President Biden’s call today, which assured us that the American state is doing everything in its power to bring back [Evan] home as quickly as possible,” the journalist’s family said. wall street journalin a press release published by Dow Jones, parent company of the New York media.
“In addition to being an acclaimed journalist, Evan is a beloved son and brother. There is a void in our hearts and in our family that will not be filled until we are reunited, ”add the journalist’s relatives.
The arrest of Evan Gershkovich was announced on March 30 by the Russian security services.
The State Department officially determined on Monday that Mr. Gershkovich was “arbitrarily detained by Russia”, according to the head of the American diplomacy Antony Blinken, which makes it possible to entrust the file to the special envoy for the hostages, Roger Carstens, and to allocate specific funds to him.
This decision by Washington “changes the dynamic” around the situation, Joe Biden said on Tuesday.
Evan Gershkovich, an experienced journalist, and his newspaper “categorically” denied the charges of “espionage”.
Russian authorities continue to deny consular access to US officials, according to the White House.
Asked about the reason for the delay, John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council [organisme rattaché à la Maison-Blanche]said: “this is a question to put to the Russian authorities”.
“But it’s not for lack of trying, I can assure you. The State Department attempted to obtain consular access for [Evan Gershkovich] from the moment we learned that he was detained,” he said.