The U.S. ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited former U.S. marine Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia on spy charges for over four years, on Thursday.
Permission to pay a visit to Whelan in Mordovia, a southeastern Russian region, comes just over two weeks after Tracy was given access to U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in March on espionage charges.
The prison visit also comes after Washington said "there was a proposal on the table for [the release of] Paul" in March.
Washington says both Whelan and Gershkovich are "wrongfully detained" and has accused Moscow of "hostage-taking."
The U.S. embassy in Russia said Tracy traveled to the IK17 prison in Mordovia — some 400 kilometers southeast of Moscow — to visit Whelan in a region notorious for its harsh prisons.
"The U.S. government will continue to engage Russian authorities on his case so Paul can come home as soon as possible," it said.
It called working on his release an "absolute priority."
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on CNN earlier Thursday that his government was "energetically trying" to get Whelan released.
"We will urge the Russians to accept that proposal so we can get him out of there," he said.
He said U.S. officials were also "in initial conversations ... trying to get the Russians to agree to release Evan."
He added the United States wanted "more consular access" to the journalist.
In March, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington had put forward a "serious proposal" that Moscow "should accept" for Whelan's release.
Whelan was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to prison two years later for alleged spying.
Both Russia and the United States accuse each other of making political arrests and have carried out several high-profile prisoner exchanges in recent years.
Last year the United States secured the release of basketball star Brittney Griner from a Russian jail, as well as that of another former Marine, Trevor Reed, who was imprisoned for assaulting a Russian police officer.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
