Biden’s rival Donald Trump has used the lack of progress as ammunition, promising Gershkovich would be “released almost immediately” if he were elected.
“Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform in late May. But the Kremlin promptly denied it had had any contact with Trump on the matter, saying talks could only be successful if conducted “absolutely discreetly,” in a seeming jab at the rabble-rousing Republican.
Another name frequently mentioned in relation to a possible prisoner swap is that of the prominent Kremlin critic and Russian-British dual citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been jailed in Russia for treason.
Kara-Murza’s supporters have in recent weeks raised the alarm after the opposition politician, who suffers from severe health problems after two attempted poisonings, was supposedly transferred to a hospital, where he has been denied any visits from his lawyers.
This story has been updated.
