US and Russian Officials Discuss Arrest of American Journalist in Russia: Antony Blinken and Sergei Lavrov Hold Talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for the immediate release of American journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was detained by Russia’s FSB security service on espionage charges. Blinken spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, during the Group of 20 talks and conveyed the US’s grave concern over the detention of a US citizen journalist. The spokesperson for Blinken stated that he also urged Moscow to release detained American Paul Whelan. The Wall Street Journal reported that Gershkovich was detained by security agents in Russia on Wednesday.