Biden Calls on Russia to Release US Journalist

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Facts

  • In making his first remarks on the case, US Pres. Joe Biden on Friday called on Russia to release Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter arrested on espionage charges earlier this week.1
  • Earlier in the day, White House Press Sec. Karine Jean-Pierre described the charges against Gershkovich as 'ridiculous.' She added: 'The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms.'2
  • Russia maintains Gershkovich was acting illegally while 'collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex' — alleging that he used his journalistic credentials as a 'cover' for spying on behalf of the US.3
  • Meanwhile, Russia unveiled a new foreign policy doctrine on Friday — a 42-page document that outlines changes to Russia’s worldview. It singled out the US for allegedly creating 'existential threats' to the security and stability of Russia, accusing it and the West of trying to achieve 'across-the-board weakening' of the country.4
  • Simultaneously, the document stressed the importance of 'the deepening of ties and coordination with friendly sovereign global centers of power and development located on the Eurasian continent' — namely India and China.5
  • Elsewhere, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday approved a $15.6B loan package for Ukraine after changing its rules to allow loan programs for countries facing 'exceptionally high uncertainty.' The loan is part of a larger $115B package comprised of debt relief, grants, and loans. Ukraine will receive $2.7B of the funds immediately, while the rest will be released over the next four years.6

Sources: 1Guardian (a), 2Mediaite, 3Guardian (b), 4Www.euractiv.com, 5Dw.com and 6Al Jazeera.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Guardian. Russia's arrest of a respected US reporter on charges of espionage is ludicrous. It's doing this to further stifle any critical reporting on Russia while seeking to use the reporter as a bargaining chip for future prisoner swaps, just as it did with WNBA star Brittney Griner.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Guardian. In calling for the release of journalists abroad while continuing to seek the prosecution of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, the Biden administration is engaging in rank hypocrisy. The US must drop this prosecution if it's to meaningfully call for the release of other journalists elsewhere.
  • Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. The Wall Street Journal reporter was caught red-handed trying to find Russian military secrets on behalf of the US. This is a clear-cut case of espionage, and his arrest by Russian authorities was warranted.

Predictions